Harvest Estimates - June 2024

“Based on the June crop condition, farmers estimate that this year’s harvest (production) will be below the level of the previous five years, in which over 7 million tonnes of basic cereals were harvested. Besides a lower per hectare yield, the reason is the lowest growing area since the beginning of monitoring over 100 years ago. However, Czechia is long-term fully self-sufficient in production of basic cereals and approximately a third of the production is exported,” Renata Vodičková, Head of the Agricultural and Forestry Statistics Unit of the Czech Statistical Office (CZSO), says.

The production of basic cereals (excluding grain maize) is estimated in an amount of 6 822 thousand tonnes, which is by 657 thousand tonnes lower (−8.8%) compared to the last year’s above-average production. The size of the sown areas decreased by 34 thousand hectares to 1 215 thous. ha (−2.7%) and the estimated per hectare yield of 5.62 tonnes per hectare is also lower (−6.2%).  

The largest share in the estimated decrease of the harvest of basic cereals belongs to winter common wheat that is to be harvested in the amount of 4 499 thous. tonnes, by 608 thous. tonnes less, y-o-y (−11.9%). The estimated harvest of the following is also lower: the winter barley in the amount of 683 thous. tonnes (−16.0%), the spring common wheat, production of which is expected to be 114 thous. tonnes (−16.5%), and the rye in the amount of 117 thous. tonnes (−6.4%). An important year-on-year increase in production is expected in oats; according to the estimate, 188 thous. tonnes (+58.2%) will be harvested. A higher production is also expected as for the spring barley (980 thous. tonnes; +3.1%) and triticale (215 thous. tonnes; +2.8%).

The expected harvest (production) of rape in the amount of 1 045 thous. tonnes is by 264 thous. tonnes lower, year-on-year (−20.2%). It is due to a lower per hectare yield of 3.04 tonnes per hectare (−11.7%) as well as due to a decrease in the sown area to 343 thous. ha (−9.6%).

“Rape is not successful this year. Compared to the previous year, the harvest (production) will probably be by a fifth lower this year and it will not even reach a five-year average. It is due to a lower expected per hectare yield, but also due to a considerable decrease in its sown area,” Dagmar Lhotská from the Agricultural and Forestry Statistics Unit of the CZSO stated.

More detailed information on harvest estimates and sown areas can be found in the supplementary information to the news release on harvest estimates – June.