The sunflower harvest in Bulgaria's northeastern Dobrich region is expected to yield around 250 – 300 kg per decare, according to Kiril Zhendov, Chair of the Dobruzdha Grain Producers Union.

Zhendov, as cited by the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA), noted that grain producers had harvested over 320 kg per decare during the previous agricultural year.

"The dry weather in the summer of 2012 will have an impact on the sunflower yield, although the crops are still standing strong and the sunflower seeds are beginning to ripen," the Chair of the branch organization commented Wednesday.

He explained that the first combine harvesters would enter sunflower plots around August 20-25.

Zhendov noted that the unfavorable forecasts for the sunflower harvest in other Black Sea basin countries would push up purchase prices of the oilseed crop from the rates in 2011.

He made clear that commodity exchanges had offers from buyers for BGN 850-900 per ton of sunflower seed before the start of the harvesting campaign, adding that the 2011 purchasing campaign in the region had started at BGN 650-700 per ton.

The Dobrich region is a major producer of oilseeds in Bulgaria, with sunflower plots reaching 981 000 decares in 2012, compared to 913 000 decares in the summer of 2011.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!