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Agricultural consultancy firm Strategy Grain has warned that
production of wheat and other crops in the European Union (EU) will decrease
this year due to dry weather. The agency's latest survey report published last
Thursday (July 14, 2022) said that crop yields in the EU are declining. RT
news.
Strategy Grain said in its forecast last June that the EU
will produce 12.44 million tonnes of wheat this year. But now, production is
expected to decrease due to dry weather. For this, this month they have reduced
their forecast and announced a new target.
The agency now says that the EU will produce 1.233 million
tons of wheat this year, which is 1.1 million tons less than their previous
forecast. Last year, the EU produced 12.99 million tonnes of wheat.
Along with wheat, the production of barley will also
decrease, according to Strategy Grain's new forecast. This year, the target of
barley production in European countries was 503 million tons. But in the survey
of July, the organization says, this target of barley production will be
reduced to 496 million tons. In 2021, barley production in the EU was 519
million tonnes.
Apart from this, the yield of corn may decrease from the
target of 668 million tons to 654 million tons. Last year, 697 million tons of
corn were produced in EU countries.
Research firm Strategy Grains cut production targets for
wheat and barley crops earlier this season, citing excessively dry weather in
many European countries. In a statement, the agency said recurring water
shortages and hot weather in many production areas are adversely affecting crop
yield prospects.
The forecast of a fall in crop production comes at a time
when the world is experiencing a severe crop crisis. Because, in the last two
months, the price of wheat in the world market has risen to a record high.
Due to bad weather and corona epidemic, food supply has been
disrupted in the world. Along with this, the global food market suffered
another big shock due to the Russia-Ukraine war and Western sanctions against
Russia.
Russia and Ukraine together export more than a quarter of
the world's wheat. In addition, Russia is the world's largest fertilizer
exporter. As a result, supply and prices have been affected worldwide due to
war and embargoes.
In the current situation, the threat of global food
insecurity and hunger is increasing. David Beasley, Executive Director of the
United Nations World Food Program (WFP), said that 49 million people in 43
countries are already at risk of famine. The World Bank, World Trade
Organization (WTO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), WFP and United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have called for the lifting of trade
sanctions imposed on various countries to avoid a worse situation.
|Source: Online/SZK
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