Good yield slightly compensated for harvesting losses

News
Posted on 25 January 2018, 10:00
According to Statistics Estonia, the average yield of cereals was 3,967 tonnes per hectare in 2017. This is a very good result given the weather conditions in the previous year.

The total cereal production in 2017 was 1,311,900 tonnes, of which 713,300 tonnes was wheat, 425,700 tonnes barley and 52,400 tonnes rye. The average yield per hectare was 4,202 kilograms for wheat, 4,154 kilograms for barley and 3,932 kilograms for rye.

In 2017, the sown area of cereals was smaller than the year before. Cereals were grown on a total of 330,700 hectares, which is 5.9% less than in the preceding year. The sown area of wheat was 169,800 hectares, which is 3.2% more than in 2016. The sown area of barley decreased by 24.2% and amounted to 102,500 hectares. The sown area of rye increased by 7.3% compared to the preceding year and was 13,300 hectares.

The production of legumes was 75,300 tonnes, which is 31.2% less than in 2016. The average yield was 1,149 kilograms of legumes per hectare. Legumes were sown on 65,500 hectares, which is 18.2% more than in 2016. This is also the largest sown area of legumes ever.

The production of rape and turnip rape seed was 165,300 tonnes. In 2017, rape and turnip rape were sown on 73,800 hectares. The average yield was 2,240 kilograms of rape and turnip rape seed per hectare.

The production of potatoes was 91 200 tonnes, which is 1.6% more than the year before. The sown area of potatoes was 5,400 hectares in 2017. The average yield of potatoes was 16,925 kilograms per hectare.

The statistics are based on the Estonian Agricultural Registers and Information Board (ARIB) land use data and statistical questionnaire “Crop production”, the deadline of which was 1 November 2017. Statistics Estonia published the yearly summary of the data in 58 working days. For the statistical activity “Crop production”, the main representative of public interest is the Ministry of Rural Affairs, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia collects and analyses the data necessary for conducting this statistical activity.