Since the total cereals area has been relatively stable over the last ecade, output has varied more according to the yield level, which has fluctuated quite markedly. Average cereal yields increased up to 3.5 t/ha in 1997, but then fell to only 1.86 t/ha in 2000. In line with these yield variations, cereal production in Romania has been as high as 22 million t in 1997, and as low as 10 million t in 2000, a quite dramatic variation in output.