Based on the second estimate of this year’s harvest as at 15 July, it is expected that the production of basic cereals will be 7 045 thous. tonnes and the production of rape 1 145 thous. tonnes. Compared to the last year’s harvest, the production of basic cereals is by 27 thous. tonnes higher (+0.4%), while the production of rape by 12 thous. tonnes lower (−1.0%) due to a decrease in its sowing area. Expected poppy harvest of 29 thous. tonnes is by over a fifth higher compared to the previous year (+23.5%).

The production of basic cereals (excluding grain maize) is estimated to be 7 045 thous. tonnes, which is higher compared to the harvest of the previous year (+0.4%). The production of grain will be by 27 thous. tonnes higher thanks to the per hectare yield of 5.63 t/ha, which is higher, year-on-year (+2.0%). The sowing areas decreased by 1.7% to 1 251 thous. ha. This year’s production of basic cereals is estimated to be by 1.2% higher compared to the average harvest for the last ten years (the sowing area −3.7%; the per hectare yield +5.1%).

As the harvest continues, July estimate of both production and per hectare yields is more optimistic. Compared to the first estimate from June, the expected harvest of basic cereals increased by 261 thous. tonnes (+3.8%) and the per hectare yield increased from 5.42 t/ha to 5.63 t/ha.

The only cereal with estimated y-o-y decrease of production is winter wheat. According to the current estimate, the harvest will be 4 600 thous. tonnes, which is by 116 thous. tonnes lower, y-o-y (−2.5%) despite its higher per hectare yield of 5.94 t/ha (+2.6%). The production decrease of winter wheat is fully due to a decrease of its sowing area to 775 thous. hectares (−4.9%).

The expected harvest of all of the other basic cereals is higher compared to the previous year. The harvest of spring barley is expected to be 1 132 thous. tonnes (+5.4%) with the per hectare yield of 5.21 t/ha (+2.8%), of winter barley to be 664 thous. tonnes (+3.1%) with the per hectare yield of 5.79 t/ha (−3.2%), of triticale to be 211 thous. tonnes (+8.2%) with the per hectare yield of 5.02 t/ha (+1.8%), of oats to be 166 thous. tonnes (+23.2%) with the per hectare yield of 3.54 t/ha (+12.0%), of rye to be 161 thous. tonnes (+2.3%) with the per hectare yield of 5.13 t/ha (+1.4%), and of spring wheat to be 110 thous. tonnes (+15.4%) with the per hectare yield of 4.61 t/ha (+20.1%).

The rape production estimated to be 1 145 thous. tonnes is by 12 thous. tonnes lower (−1.0%) than the last year’s harvest due to a decrease in its sowing area to 368 thous. ha (−3.0%). The per hectare yield of 3.11 t/ha is by 2.0% higher, y-o-y. The up-to-date estimate of the rape harvest is by 8.4% lower compared to the ten-year average (the sowing area −5.5%; the per hectare yield −3.1%).

The July estimates of both rape production and per hectare yield have slightly increased compared to the first estimates from June: the harvest is 10 thous. tonnes up (+0.9%) and the per hectare yield increased from 3.08 t/ha to 3.11 t/ha.

The estimated harvest of poppy of 29 thous. tonnes is by 23.5% higher, year-on-year. This year’s favourable harvest is contributed to by both an increase in the sowing area to 40 thous. ha (+12.5%) and a higher per hectare yield of 0.72 t/ha (+9.1%). Mainly thanks to the increase of the sowing area, the expected poppy harvest is by over a third higher than the average of harvests for the last ten years (the harvest +35.8%; the sowing area +29.3%; the per hectare yield +4.5%).

More detailed information also about estimated per hectare yields and the production of field peas for grain, selected varieties of fruit and vegetables in the Czech Republic as a whole and broken down by Region are given in the related publication: ‘Harvest Estimates – Operative Report as at 15 July 2020’.

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Notes:
Responsible head at the CZSO: Radek Matějka, Director of the Agricultural and Forestry, Industrial, Construction, and Energy Statistics Department, phone number (+420) 736 168 543, e-mail: radek.matejka@czso.cz
Contact person: Renata Vodičková, Head of the Agricultural and Forestry Statistics Unit, phone number (+420) 703 824 173, e-mail: renata.vodickova@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 2020
End of data processing: 12 August 2020
Related publications: Harvest Estimates – Operative Report as at 15 July 2020
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/harvest-estimates-operative-report-as-at-15-july-2020
Areas under Crops Survey – 2020
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/areas-under-crops-survey-as-at-31-may-2020
Update procedure: Harvest Estimates – Operative Report as at 15 August 2020;
to be published on 10 September 2020