Bulgaria’s wheat production increased by 15.6% in 2016 through July 31, reaching 5.18 million tonnes due to both higher yields and increased acreage under wheat, according to new figures released by the country’s Agriculture Ministry.

The average yield was 4.79 tonnes per hectare in 2016.

Bulgaria also had in stock 526,694 tonnes of wheat from previous years as of end-July.

Total wheat consumption in 2016 through end-July was 344,042 tonnes. Of these, 123,000 tonnes were domestic consumption and 221,042 tonnes were exported. This compared with

The average export price in 2016 through end-July was about EUR 153 per tonne, according to Trud daily. Bulgarian wheat exports were directed mainly to the countries of the Middle East and Greece. There were exports also to Yemen, Somalia, Ethiopia and the Philippines, Trud said on Thursday, citing a Bulgarian trader.

Increased production pressured domestic prices to BGN 248 (EUR 124) per tonne of bread wheat from 2016 crop, down from BGN 295 as of end-July 2015.