Based on the second estimate of this year harvest as at 15 July 2019, it is expected that the production of basic cereals is to reach an amount of 6 988 thous. tonnes and the production of rape is to be 1 194 thous. tonnes. Compared to the last year harvest, the production of basic cereals is by 519 thous. tonnes (+8.0%) higher. While the production of rape will be down by 216 thous. tonnes (−15.3%), compared to that of the previous year. The poppy seed harvest is expected to be 25 thous. tonnes, which is almost doubled the last year production.

The estimated production of basic cereals (excluding grain maize) in an amount of 6 988 thous. tonnes of grain is by 8.0% higher than the last year production. The expected increase in the production by 519 thous. tonnes is, first of all, due to a per hectare yield higher by 6.2% to reach 5.49 tonnes per hectare (t/ha) and also by expanded sowing area of basic cereals by 1.8% to attain 1 272 thous. hectares. This year estimated production of basic cereals is by 4.9% lower than the last five-year average and is comparable to the recent ten-year production average (+0.5%).

According to the estimate, the harvest of all winter cereals is expected to be higher than that in the last year. The harvest of winter wheat is expected to be 4 679 thous. tonnes, (+10.7%) with the per hectare yield of 5.74 t/ha (+5.1%), of winter barley to be 619 thous. tonnes (+21.2%) with the per hectare yield of 5.74 t/ha (+15.3%), of triticale to be 195 thous. tonnes (+13.2%) with the per hectare yield of 4.91 t/ha (+7.9%), and of rye to be 157 thous. tonnes (+31.0%) with the per hectare yield of 5.06 t/ha (+6.8%).

The production of spring cereals is assumed to be lower due to a reduction of their sowing area, especially the harvest of spring wheat is to be 111 thous. tonnes (−41.8%) with the per hectare yield of 4.45 t/ha (+7.5%). The harvest of spring barley will also be lower at 1 075 thous. tonnes (−1.9%) with the per hectare yield of 5.07 t/ha (+2.8%). The production of oats is to be almost identical with that in the last year; it is estimated to be 152 thous. tonnes (−0.1%) with the per hectare yield of 3.58 t/ha (+0.6%).

The rape production is estimated to be 1 194 thous. tonnes, which is by 216 thous. tonnes (−15.3%) lower than last year one. The decline in the production is contributed by both a smaller sowing area of 380 thous. hectares (−7.8%) and a lower per hectare yield of 3.15 t/ha (−8.2%). The up-to-date estimate of the rape harvest is by 11.0% lower compared to the five-year average, first of all, due to a lower per hectare yield (sowing area −2.8%, per hectare yield −8.2%), and by 4.3% lower than the recent ten-year average (sowing area −1.9%, per hectare yield –2.3%).

This year assumed harvest of poppy seed is to be 25 thous. tonnes, which is almost doubled production compared to that in the last year, which was nearly 14 thous. tonnes. This year favourable harvest is contributed by a significant expansion of the poppy sowing area to 36 thous. hectares (+34.5%) as well as by a higher expected per hectare yield of 0.71 t/ha (+39.2%). This year expected harvest is by 13.5% higher than the recent ten-year average (sowing area +8.7%, per hectare yield +4.5%).

More detailed information on estimated per hectare yields and the production of peas, selected varieties of fruit, and vegetable 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 2019’.

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