Romania

Drought Followed by Storms Damage Crop Estimates
Associated Press, July 19, 2000

An extended drought, followed by recent storms raging over Romania have reduced crop estimates by 40 percent, the Ministry of Agriculture said Wednesday. The estimated financial losses from the reduced crop yields total 10.7 trillion lei (dlrs 492.4 million), the ministry said in a statement. Corn has suffered the most damage, followed by wheat, sunflowers, fodder, soybeans and sugar beats. No crops are expected to be harvested on 3.9 million hectares (9.7 million acres) of land, representing more than 30 percent of the area cultivated, the statement said. The effects of the drought could be seen in early June, culminating with an unprecedented heat wave with days of temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). However, Agriculture Minister Ioan Muresan has repeatedly said the country will not need to import wheat. Impoverished Romanians, whose salaries average 2 million lei (dlrs 92) per month, rely heavily on bread in their daily diets.