Harvest forecast - October 2006

According to the last 2006 harvest estimate as at 15 October, the Czech Statistical Office expects that 6 462 thousand tonnes of cereals in total, 574 thousand tonnes of grain maize, 712 thousand tonnes of potatoes in total, and 2 981 thousand tonnes of sugar beet should be harvested. In comparison to 2005, the harvest of all these crops is expected lower.
The estimated production of grain maize amounting to 574 thousand tonnes is by 128 thousand tonnes, i.e. 18.3%, lower than in 2005, expected yield 6.77 t/ha is by 5.6% lower. Production of cereals (main cereals and grain maize) is thus expected at 6 462 thousand tonnes and the average yield 4.26 t/ha. Compared to 2005, theses figures are by 1 185 thousand tonnes (-15.5%) and 0.51 t/ha lower (-10,7%), respectively.

The production estimate of potatoes was affected by cold August with abundant precipitation and warm September without rains which created conditions for harvest in key potato-growing areas with minimum loss. In comparison to September’s estimate, production should be by 44 thousand tonnes higher and reach 712 thousand tonnes. The yield of 23.70 t/ha this year is by 15.6% lower than the record figure (28.08 t/ha) of 2005, but is above the average of last ten years (21.79 t/ha).

The production of sugar beet is estimated at 2 981 thousand tonnes, i.e. by 515 thousand tonnes (-14.7%) less than in 2005. The expected yield of 48.90 t/ha is by 4.41 t/ha lower, but above the average of the last decade (45.98 t/ha in 1996-2005) too.

The harvest of common flax and fibre flax should reach 8 463 tonnes and 8 888 tonnes, respectively, which is by 4.4% and 34.0% less, respectively, than in 2005. While the decrease in common flax is due to lower yield per hectare (-10.7%) in spite of larger sowing area (+7.3%), the fall in fibre flax is attributable to considerably reduced sowing area (-35.5%) in spite of expected higher yield per hectare (+2.3%).

Production of grass from permanent grassland that should be higher than in 2005. Expected harvest should reach 2 969 thousand tonnes (+11.5%). This increase is due to both larger grassland area by 37 thousand ha (contribution 37.5% to higher production) and higher yield 3.34 t/ha (3.12 t/ha in 2005) contributing 62.5% to higher production.

More detailed information – including regional data – is shown in the related tables Harvest forecast – October 2006.

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Note
Contact: Jiří Hrbek, phone (+420) 274 052 331, e-mail: jiri.hrbek@csu.gov.cz
Data source: CZSO sample survey in businesses farming agricultural land
End of data collection: 16 October 2006
End of data processing: 6 November 2006
Related tables: Harvest forecast – October 2006, also at /katalog-produktu )