Harvest Estimates - September 2019
Harvest of Cereals at the Level of the Ten-Year Average Production, Industrial Sugar Beet Recorded a Decline
Publication Date: 15. 10. 2019
Product Code: 270150-19
According to the latest estimates of harvest as at 15 September 2019 the production of cereals, including grain maize, is assumed to be around 7 638 thousand tonnes. The year-on-year increase of 680 thousand tonnes (+9.8%) is, first of all, due to a higher per hectare yield of 5.66 t/ha (+8.4%). This year cereal harvest estimate is by 4.3% lower than the recent five-year average harvest and is comparable to the ten-year average one, difference −0.7%.
The estimated production of grain maize in an amount of 544 thousand tonnes of grain is by 11.3% higher, namely due to a substantial increase in the per hectare yield by 19.9% to reach 7.17 t/ha. The area under grain maize of 76 thousand hectares declined by 7.3%, compared to the last-year harvested area. Despite the annual increase this year assumed production of grain maize is significantly lower than the average harvests for the recent five years and ten years by −14.9% and −26.9%, respectively.
The expected production of green and silage maize of 7 997 thousand tonnes is by a fifth higher (+19.6%) higher, year-on-year (y-o-y) due to an increase by 15.9% in the per hectare yield to 34.57 t/ha and also in the area under these crops to 231 thousand hectares (+3.2%) compared to the last-year harvested area. The expected production of green and silage maize is close to the five-year average one, lower by 1.8%, and is by 4.3% higher than the last ten-year average one. A slight year-on-year increase in harvest is expected for other fodder crops as well. The production of red clover is assumed to be 351 thousand tonnes (+1.5%), y-o-y, and that of lucerne is assumed to be 429 thousand tonnes (+2.5%), y-o-y.
As in the last year, farmers seeded potatoes on 23 thousand hectares. The estimated potatoes production of 604 thousand tonnes is by 3.5% higher compared to the last year one. The harvest per hectare shall be 26.39 t/ha of potatoes, which is by 0.89 t/ha more (+3.5%) than in the last year. This year estimated production of potatoes is, however, lower than both the five-year average harvest and the ten-year one by 4.9% and 8.4%, respectively.
The estimated harvest of industrial sugar beet of 3 499 thousand tonnes is by 6.0% lower, y-o-y due to a reduction of the sowing area by 8.6% to attain 59 thousand hectares while the per hectare yield is assumed to be 59.1 t/ha (+2.8%). The areas under this crop dropped by 7 thousand hectares (−10.4%) compared to those in 2017 when the system of the sugar production quotas was terminated after being in force for forty-nine years. This year expected industrial sugar beet production is also lower compared to long-term yields by 12.9% than the average production for recent five years (sowing area −5.2% and per hectare yield −8.2%) and by 7.2% than the production average for recent ten years (sowing area −1.8% and per hectare yield −5.5%).
According to the estimate this year rape production is to be 1 165 thousand tonnes, i.e. by 246 thousand tonnes (−17.4%) less than in the last year. The decrease was caused by both a decline in the per hectare yield to 3.07 t/ha (-10.5%) and a reduction in the area under this crop to 380 thousand hectares (−7.8%). This year production estimate is lower than both the five-year average harvest and the ten-year one by 13.2% and 6.6%, respectively.
The expected production of poppy seed markedly grew to 24 thousand tonnes (+77.0%), y-o-y, compared to the last year very weak harvest. The increase in production is contributed by both an increase in the estimated per hectare yield of 0.68 t/ha (+33.3%), and an expansion of the sowing area under this crop to 36 thousand hectares (+34.5%). The estimated poppy seed production is also higher compared to the recent five-year average production and the ten-year one by 6.4% and 8.1%, respectively, although not in as significant manner.
The estimated production of sunflower for seed at 29 thousand tonnes is by over a third (−38.1%) lower, y-o-y, owing to a significant decline of this crop sowing area by 41.5% to 12 thousand hectares although the per hectare yield grew by 5.5% to attain 2.49 t/ha, y-o-y. The estimated sunflower for seed production is to be substantially lower also if compared to the recent five-year average harvest and the ten-year one by 32.8% and 42.5%, respectively, due to a drop in the crop sowing area.
The production of grain peas of 67 thousand tonnes is by 4.6% lower than the last year one due to a lower estimated per hectare yield of 2.34 t/ha (−3.7%) as well as a moderate decline in the area under this crop by 1.1% to attain 29 thousand hectares.
More detailed information on estimated per hectare yields and productions, also of selected varieties of fruit and vegetables in the Czech Republic as a whole, and broken by region are given in the following publication ‘Harvest Estimates – Operative Report as at 15 September 2019’.
Notes:
Responsible head at the CZSO: Renata Vodičková, (+420) 274 054 292, e-mail: renata.vodickova@csu.gov.cz
Contact person: Renata Vodičková, (+420) 274 054 292, e-mail: renata.vodickova@csu.gov.cz
Data source: statistical survey of Harvest Estimates of Crops (Zem V9) and
questionnaire on Areas under Crops (Osev 3-01)
End of data collection: 16 September 2019
End of data processing: 11 October 2019
Following outcomes: Harvest Estimates – Operative Report as at 15 September 2019 - at https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/odhady-sklizne-operativni-zprava-k-15-9-2019
Areas under Crops Survey – 2019
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/soupis-ploch-osevu-k-31-5-2019
Update procedure: The finalised data on the production of agricultural crops for 2019 will be released by the Czech Statistical Office on 18 February 2020.