Based on the second estimate of this year harvest as at 15 July 2018, it is expected that the production of basic cereals is to reach an amount of 6 345 thous. tonnes and the production of rape is to be 1 287 thous. tonnes. Compared to the last year harvest, the production of basic cereals is down by 515 thous. tonnes (–7.5%). The production of rape will be up by 141 thous. tonnes (+12.3%) compared to that of the previous year. Poppy seed harvest is expected to be 15 thous. tonnes, which is by a quarter (−25.9%) lower than that of the last year.

The estimated production of basic cereals (excluding grain maize) in an amount of 6 345 thous. tonnes of grain is by 7.5% lower than the last year production. The expected drop in production by 515 thous. tonnes is almost entirely due to a decrease in the per hectare yield by 6.6% to 5.07 tonnes per hectare (t/ha). The sowing area of basic cereals decreased just slightly by 0.9% to 1 250 thous. hectares. This year estimated production of basic cereals is lower than the last five-year average as well as the ten-year one (–14.4% and –10.0%, respectively). It is third lowest harvest in recent decade. In 2010 harvest was by 171 thous. tonnes lower and that in 2012 harvest was even by 700 thous. tonnes lower compared to the current estimate of 2018 harvest.

According to the July estimate, a lower harvest is assumed in winter wheat, winter and spring barley, and in triticale. On the contrary, harvest shall be higher in spring wheat, oats, and rye.

According to the estimate, the harvest of winter wheat is expected to be 4 146 thous. tonnes,
(–8.5%) with the per hectare yield of 5.36 t/ha (–7.1%), of spring barley to be 1 045 thous. tonnes (−8.6%) with the per hectare yield of 4.71 t/ha (−5.0%), of winter barley 516 thous. tonnes (−9.2%) with the per hectare yield of 5.03 t/ha (−14.0%), of spring wheat 199 thous. tonnes (+5.3%) with the per hectare yield of 4.32 t/ha (+6.7%), of triticale 173 thous. tonnes (−2.2%) with the per hectare yield of 4.58 t/ha (−6.3%), of oats 145 thous. tonnes (+1.9%) with the per hectare yield of 3.39 t/ha (+5.0%), and of rye 121 thous. tonnes (+10.5%) with the per hectare yield of 4.76 t/ha (−3.3%).

The rape production is estimated to be 1 287 thous. tonnes, which is by 141 thous. tonnes (+12.3%) higher than last year one thanks to a higher per hectare yield of 3.13 t/ha (+7.6%) and an expansion of the sowing area to 412 thous. hectares (+4.4.%). This sowing area is the second largest since 2013 as the monitoring history says. When compared to a five-year average, the estimated rape harvest is by 4.5% lower (sowing area +5.0%, per hectare yield −8.9%). However, it is by 6.2% higher than the recent ten-year average (sowing area +7.9%, the per hectare yield –1.4%).

This year harvest of poppy seed is estimated to be 15 thous. tonnes, which is by a quarter (–25.9%) lower than the last year one, as a result of a significant decline in sowing area to 27 thous. hectares (–18.3%) as well as in an expected per hectare yield of 0.56 t/ha (–9.7%). This year expected harvest is also substantially lower than the recent five-year average and ten-year average (−34.8% and – 42.7%, respectively).

More detailed information on estimated per hectare yields and production of peas, selected varieties of fruit, and vegetables crops in the Czech Republic, as a whole and broken down by region, are given in the following publication ‘Harvest Estimates – Operative Report as at 15 July 2018’.

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Notes:
Responsible head at the CZSO: Jiří Hrbek, (+420) 274 052 331, e-mail: jiri.hrbek@czso.cz, Director of the Agricultural, Forestry, and Environmental Statistics Department
Contact person: Jiří Hrbek, (+420) 274 052 331, e-mail: jiri.hrbek@czso.cz
Data source: statistical survey of Harvest Estimates of Crops (Zem V7) and
questionnaire on Areas under Crops (Osev 3-01)
End of data collection: 15 July 2018
End of data processing: 10 August 2018
Following outcomes: Harvest Estimates – Operative Report as at 15 July 2018
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/harvest-forecast-operative-report-as-at-15-july-2018
Areas under Crops Survey as at 31 May 2018
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/areas-under-crops-survey-as-at-31-may-2018
Update procedure: Harvest Estimates – Operative Report as at 15 August 2018; to be published on 10 September 2018