site.btaAgriculture Ministry: Wheat Harvest Up by Over 10% Compared to 2024, Apricot Harvest Down by 95.6%

According to operational data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, by the end of July between 97% and 99% of wheat, oilseed rape, and barley areas, and over 80% of rye and triticale areas, had been harvested.

For all major autumn crops, larger harvested areas and higher average yields were reported, resulting in annual production increases as follows: wheat (+10.7%), barley (+22.8%), rapeseed (+59.3%), rye (+31.9%), and triticale (+44.7%), according to the bulletin of the Ministry of Agriculture. So far, 7,131,095 tonnes of wheat have been harvested.

Due to larger harvested areas, the amount of Burley tobacco collected so far is 83.4% higher year-on-year. At the same time, production of Oriental tobacco is down 18.3% and Virginia tobacco down 63.6%, mainly due to smaller harvested areas; for Oriental tobacco, this is also combined with lower yields per hectare.

As a result of larger harvested areas, by the end of July higher year-on-year production was recorded for cabbage (+20.9%), potatoes (+33.7%), and open-field cucumbers (+74.1%). At this stage, harvested volumes are lower for peppers (-6.9%), melons (-13%), tomatoes (-24.6%), and watermelons (-34.3%), due to lower yields per hectare and slower harvesting pace (except for peppers). Since the start of 2025, greenhouse production of tomatoes has risen by 47.8% year-on-year, and cucumbers by 29.8%. Total strawberry output from open fields and greenhouses amounts to 5,308 tonnes.

2025 has been marked by particularly unfavorable weather conditions for many fruit crops. As a result, production of peaches, sour cherries, cherries, plums, and apricots is between 60.5% (peaches) and 95.6% (apricots) lower than at the same time in 2024. Raspberry production has fallen by a more moderate 28.1%.

Pear harvesting is at an early stage, with 20 tonnes collected compared to 106 tonnes in 2024.

Lavender production so far totals 22,741 tonnes, down 38.2% year-on-year due to both a slower harvesting pace and lower average yields.

Prices

With the exception of sunflower, whose purchase price remains unchanged from the previous week, as of July 30, average purchase prices of other main cereals and oilseed crops have fallen - ranging from -0.3% for bread wheat to -1.6% for maize.

By the end of July, wholesale prices for potatoes, cabbage, peppers (red and green), watermelons, and cucumbers at wholesale markets across the country were 1.9% (potatoes) to 11.3% (green peppers) lower compared to the previous week.

Most major fruits and vegetables are trading at higher prices than at the same time in 2024. The largest annual increases are in wholesale apple prices (+42.6%) and peaches (+60.6%). More moderate increases are seen for tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, and green peppers (from +0.4% for tomatoes to +14% for green peppers). Price decreases were observed only for red peppers (-13.4%) and cucumbers (-43%), while watermelon prices remained unchanged, the Ministry of Agricutlure reported.