There are problems on the corn front

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 08. 05. 13:19

This year, the corn season started earlier, which raises the question of whether it could end sooner. Many people are worried whether the popular sweet corn will still be available in the last month of summer. However, the analysis of the data and expert opinions paints a reassuring picture of the availability of sweet corn, while it draws attention to several challenges in relation to commodity corn.

Sweet corn situation

Sweet corn is one of the most popular summer foods in Hungary. According to Zoltán Daoda, the managing director of the Kukorica Kör Egyesület, sweet corn will be available in stores this year in the usual quantity and quality. Although the drought is a challenge, sweet corn is constantly irrigated so there is no need to worry about a shortage. The director noted that the early start of the season will not significantly affect the availability of sweet corn throughout the summer.

The challenges of the price of maize

However, the situation is different in the case of commodity corn. Extreme heat and drought have caused significant damage, which is why farmers are already looking for solutions. As a result of the drought, yields have decreased and prices are expected to rise. According to the report of the Ministry of Agriculture, although the average yield of corn is decreasing, it still covers domestic needs, so there will be no need for imports.

Due to the drought, the average yield of the corn crop is expected to be around 6.6 tons/hectare, which means approximately 5.8 million tons in the 874,000-hectare area. The national average yield decreased significantly compared to previous years, especially in the counties of Bács-Kiskun and Csongrád-Csanád. In other areas of the country, the crop shows a varied picture, and the heat stress has taken a toll on the plants.