Serbia 2009 Wheat Output Rises 1.7% to Preliminary 2.131 Mln Tonnes

The wheat was harvested from 565,990 hectares at an average yield of some 3.77 tonnes per hectare, the statistics office said in a statement.

Serbia harvested its 2008 wheat crop from 487,731 hectares.

Final figures for the 2009 wheat harvest will be available in the middle of September.

Compared to the annual average wheat harvest in the 1999-2008 period, the 2009 wheat output is 3.0% higher and the harvested area is 16.1% up.

The statistics office also said that Serbia expects to raise its maize output by 7.54% to 6.62 million tonnes this year. Sunflower seed crop is expected to fall 14% to 391,057 tonnes.

The soybean harvest is expected to rise by 12.25% to 393,941 tonnes, while the sugar beet crop is seen rising by 25.88% to 2.89 million tonnes.