Sown area of potatoes smaller than ever before
According to preliminary data of Statistics Estonia and the Agricultural Registers and Information Board (ARIB), the utilised agricultural area this year is 983,400 hectares, which is 4,400 hectares less than in 2023. There has been a slight decrease in arable land, as well as in the area of fruit and berry plantations. The sown area of potatoes, which has been in decline for a long time, continues the trend and is 8% smaller in 2024 than the year before.
Ege Kirs, leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, pointed out that potatoes are grown on 3,200 hectares, of which 250 hectares are estimated to be cultivated by households. “Ten years ago, potatoes were grown on an area almost twice as large, or 6,300 hectares, while 20 years ago the area under potatoes was as much as five times larger,” Kirs noted.
The sown area of cereals is provisionally estimated at 350,000 hectares, down 1% from 2023. Wheat is grown on 173,300, barley on 95,300, oats on 48,300 and rye on 18,300 hectares. The area under barley has decreased by 15%, while the area under oats has increased by 35% and the area under rye by 8%. Compared with the previous year, less winter crops and more summer crops were sown.
According to preliminary estimates, the area under legumes stands at 60,500 hectares, up 13% from a year earlier. This is also the largest area of legumes in the last seven years. Compared with 2023, the area under rape and turnip rape has decreased by 21% to 60,200 hectares in 2024. The decline in the area under rape and turnip rape is due to a significant reduction in winter rape and winter turnip rape.
The area of strawberries amounts to 530 hectares this year, down 5% from 2023. The area of fruit and berry plantations is 3,900 hectares, or 2% smaller, and the area of outdoor vegetables is 1,650 hectares, i.e. 5% larger than last year. There has been an increase in the area under mangolds and other less common vegetable crops.
The preliminary area on sown areas are based on the areas of agricultural crops registered with ARIB by the end of June. An additional 2,900 hectares (0.3%) of land used for growing agricultural products in kitchen gardens is counted as utilised agricultural area.
See also the agriculture section on our website.
More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.
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For further information:
Heidi Kukk
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 625 9181
press [at] stat.ee (press[at]stat[dot]ee)