Dobrich, Northeastern Bulgaria, August 4 (BTA) - Grain producers in the region of Dobrich, Bulgaria's wheat basket, have harvested a record-large crop this year, according to experts. According to aggregate data of the local agriculture authority shortly before the end of the campaign, 723,487 tonnes of wheat have been harvested. In the record-high 2016, wheat production in the region reached 671,400 tonnes. This year, the average yield from 120,000 ha reaches up to 5, 980 kg per hectare, 350 kg more from last year, the agriculture authority said.

Prof. Ivan Kiryakov, of the Dobrudja Agricultural Institute told BTA that this has been the best crop in the past ten years. He said that farmers have harvested between 6,000 and 6,500 kg of wheat per hectare and in some fields up to 8,000-9,000 kg.

Prof. Kiryakov said that the larger margin of 25-30 leva per tonne in the price of fodder and bread wheat has revived the grain producers' interest in Bulgarian wheat varieties. According to Institute data, Bulgarian wheat varieties account for 30 per cent of crops under wheat. Kiryakov said that the price difference should increase to 60-70 leva, so that more quality grain is produced.

The quality of wheat grain harvested in the region of Dobrich is better than last year's and a large part will be exported, according to Kostadin Kostadinov, Chairman of the Dobrudja Union of Grain Producers. He said that Bulgarian wheat is unloaded at the southern ports of the European Union, while Russian wheat has replaced Bulgarian wheat exports in North African countries.

Kostadinov said that the purchase price of wheat this year is by 3 to 5 per cent higher compared with last year's, but there is a considerable difference with the price on the global commodity market.