According to the latest estimates of harvest as at 15 September 2018 the production of grain maize (−19.6%), green and silage maize (−14.2%), potatoes (−19.1%), industrial sugar beet (−24.9%), sunflower for seed (−10.8%), poppy seed (−31.3%), as well as grain peas (−17.2%) shall be lower compared to those of the last year. On the contrary, rape was doing well and the rape production shall be by one fifth higher (+20.7%) than the last year one.

The estimated production as at 15 September 2018 expects a lower harvest of cereals, including grain maize, of 6 861 thous. tonnes (-7.9%). The year-on-year decline is, first of all, due to a lower per hectare yield of 5.15 t/ha (−6.7%). This year cereal harvest estimate is by 15.2% lower than the recent five-year average harvest.

The estimated production of grain maize in an amount of 473 thous. tonnes of grain is by 19.6% lower, namely due to a substantial annual decrease in the per hectare yield to 5.76 t/ha (-15.8%). The area under grain maize of 82 thous. hectares declined by 4.5%, compared to the last-year harvested area. This year assumed production of grain maize is by almost one third lower (-30.1%) than the average harvest for the recent five years.

The expected production of green and silage maize of 6 670 thous. tonnes is by 14.2% lower year-on-year (y-o-y) due to a decline (-14.5%) in the per hectare yield to 29.80 t/ha. The area under these crops of 224 thous. hectares is almost identical with the last-year harvested area (+0.3%). The expected production of green and silage maize is by 20.0% lower than the five-year average one, especially because of a low per hectare yield. A drop in harvest is expected for other fodder crops as well. The production of red clover is assumed to be 305 thous. tonnes, that is by 23.4% less, y-o-y, and that of lucerne is assumed to be 350 thous. tonnes, that is by 21.3% less, y-o-y.

The estimated potatoes production of 557 thous. tonnes is by 19.1% lower compared to the last year one. The harvest per hectare shall be 24.35 tonnes/hectare of potatoes which is by 5.07 t/ha less (-2.3%) than in the last year. The area seeded with potatoes was slightly reduced to almost 23 thous. hectares (-2.3%). This year estimated production of potatoes is by one tenth lower than the five–year average (-10.9%) due to a low per hectare yield. This year production is the third lowest in the monitoring history. The potatoes harvests were lower solely in 2013 and 2015.

The estimated harvest of industrial sugar beet of 3 306 thous. tonnes is by a quarter lower (-24.9%), y-o-y primarily due to a decrease in the per hectare yield to 51.04 t/ha (-23.3%). The areas under this crop slightly dropped to 65 thous. hectares (-2.0%). The expected industrial sugar beet production is by 17.8% lower than the production average for recent five years due to lower per hectare yields (-21.4%) although the areas under this crop have increased (+4.5%).

According to the estimate this year rape production is 1 383 thous. tonnes, i.e. by 20.7% more than in the last year. The increase was mostly caused by a growth in the per hectare yield to 3.36 t/ha (+15.5%) and also by an expansion of the area under this crop to 412 thous. hectares (+4.4%). This year production estimate is by 2.6% higher than the five-year average one due to an increase in the area under this crop.

The expected production of poppy seed plummeted by almost one third to 14 thous. tonnes (-31.3%), y-o-y. The decline is both due to a substantial reduction in the sowing area of this crop to 27 thous. hectares (-18.3%) and a decrease in the estimated per hectare yield of 0.52 t/ha (-16.1%). The estimated poppy seed production is also by 39.5% lower than the recent five-year average one.

The estimated production of sunflower for seed at 47 thous. tonnes is by 10.8% lower than its harvest in 2017 owing to a decline of this crop sowing area by 6.5% to 20 thous. hectares as well as a drop in the per hectare yield by 4.5% to attain 2.35 t/ha, y-o-y. The estimated sunflower for seed production will be by 8.5% higher than the recent five-year average one due to an expansion of the crop sowing area.

The production of grain peas of 72 thous. tonnes is by 17.2% lower than the last year due to a year-on-year reduction of the area under this crop by 16.4% to attain 29 thous. hectares while the per hectare yield is estimated to reach 2.49 t/ha (-0.8%). In the last five years the areas under grain peas have been gradually expanded so this year area under this crop is more than doubled compared to that of 2013. The estimated production of grain peas is by 17.5% higher compared to the five-year average production due to the expansion of this crop sowing area.

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 2018’.
 

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Notes:
Responsible head at the CZSO: Jiří Hrbek, (+420) 274 052 331, e-mail: jiri.hrbek@czso.cz
Contact person: Jiří Hrbek, (+420) 274 052 331, e-mail: jiri.hrbek@czso.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: 14 September 2018
End of data processing: 12 October 2018
Following outcomes: Harvest Estimates – Operative Report as at 15 September 2018 - at
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/odhady-sklizne-operativni-zprava-k-15-9-2018
Areas under Crops Survey - 2018
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/soupis-ploch-osevu-k-31-5-2018
Update procedure: The finalised data on the production of agricultural crops for 2018 will be released by the Czech Statistical Office on 18 February 2019.