Romania will have to produce about eight million tons of wheat in 2020, according to the strategy drawn up by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) over 2014-2020, with half of the production accounting for export potential, Agriculture Minister Valeriu Tabara told a press conference on agriculture topics.

'Although this strategy is not completed yet, because we must include the figures and the parameters featuring the General Agriculture Census, released on June 30, 2011, in my opinion Romania must produce nearly eight million tons of wheat in 2020 with half of this production available for the export,' Valeriu Tabara said.

He considers that for Romania is very hard to enter the club of worldwide wheat exporters but 'this process requires baby steps.'

'That is why I advocate for the Danube ports to be fit out for the cereal export and also for a cereal stock market to be founded in Braila or Galati. All Romanian cereal producers must consider the establishment of this stock as a challenge,' the MADR head said.

According to the above-quoted source, the wheat crop becomes lucrative only if the average production exceeds 3.5 tons per hectare and the wheat price in 2010 reached only the level of costs.

Romania's wheat production could amount to 6.7 million tons in 2011 up over 15 percent compared with the 2010 production that stood at 5.6 million tons, according to the MADR estimates.

In 2011, 1.949 million hectares have been sowed with wheat and it is foreseen that 6.71 million tons will be harvested, with the current average production amounting to 3,593 kg per hectare compared to the MADR prognosis of 3,444 kg per ha.