Harvest forecast - July 2014

Good harvest of cereals, record-breaking harvest of rape, and poppy cultivation on the rise

Pursuant to the second estimates of harvest as at 15 July 2014 it is supposed that the production of basic cereals is to reach an amount of 7 056 thous. tonnes of grain and the production of rape is to be 1 452 thous. tonnes. The production of basic cereals will be up by 232 thous. tonnes (+ 3.4%) compared to that of the last-year. The production of rape is expected to be higher by 9 thous. tonnes (+ 0.6%) compared to that of the last year. An important year-on-year increase is expected in the poppy production to 20 thous. tonnes (+ 44.8%).

The estimated production of basic cereals (excluding grain maize) in an amount of 7 056 thous. tonnes of grain is by 232 thous. tonnes (+ 3.4%) higher than the last year production. The increase in the production has been caused by an increased average per hectare yield to 5.42 t/ha (+ 3.8%) while areas under basic cereals have remained almost at the same level as the previous year with 1 302 thous. hectares (- 0.3%). This year expected production of basic cereals will be by 4.4% higher compared to the last decade average production.

The estimated production of our country most widely spread crop of winter wheat is 4 528 thous. tonnes and is by a little lower (- 0.1%) than the last year production. The assumed per hectare yield of 5.73 t/ha (- 0.3%) as well as the total areas under this crop in the CR of 791 thous. hectares (+ 0.3%) have changed year-on-year just negligibly. The estimated production of rye is 127 thous. tonnes and is by 49 thous. tonnes lower year-on-year (- 27.8%). The drop in production can be entirely assigned to the areas under this crop reduction by one third to 25 thous. hectares (- 33.0%) while the per hectare yield of 5.06 t/ha is by 7.7% higher.

Concerning other varieties of basic cereals a year-on-year growth in the production is assumed, in total by 284 thous. tonnes, namely due to increased per hectare yields. The estimates of the production are for spring barley 1 226 thous. tonnes (+9.5%) at the per hectare yield of 4.95 t/ha (+ 7.4%), winter barley 565 thous. tonnes (+ 18.9%) at the per hectare yield of 5.49 t/ha (+ 22.8%), triticale 239 thous. tonnes (+ 11.5%) at the per hectare yield of 4.93 t/ha (+ 7.6%), spring wheat 213 thous. tonnes (+25.5%) at the per hectare of 4.71 t/ha (+ 13.5%), and oat 158 thous. tonnes (+ 13.8%) at the per hectare yield of 3.74 t/ha (+ 17.2%),

The rape production is estimated to be 1 452 thous. tonnes which is by 9 thous. tonnes higher than the previous year (+0.6%). The expected per hectare yield is 3.73 t/ha (+ 8.1%, y-o-y) and is the highest in history and thus completely compensates a decline in the areas under this crop, which were reduced by 7.0% to 389 thous. hectares. Compared to a decade average production this year estimated rape production is higher by 39.2%, as a result of increased both per hectare yield and areas under this crop (+ 22.6% and + 13.5%, respectively).

An important year-on year increase in the harvest of poppy to give 20 thous. tonnes (+ 44.8%) is expected. Areas under this traditional crop have been expanding for over two years and compared to those in 2013 they have grown by one third to 27 thous. hectares (+ 33.4%) and this way they moved close to the level of 2011. The estimated per hectare yield of 0.75 t/ha is 8.7% higher year-on-year and exceeds the decade average (+ 13.4%) as well.

Due to favourable weather conditions during the vegetation growing season the estimated production of early potatoes is 32 thous. tonnes, which is by 167.4% higher than that in the previous year. The areas of potatoes harvested till 30 June is at the level of almost 2 thous. hectares and is significantly larger (+ 85.2%) compared to the areas of the previous year. The per hectare yield of early potatoes is assumed to be 19.98 t/ha (+ 44.3%).

More detailed information on estimated per hectare yields and productions of peas, selected varieties of fruit and vegetables in the Czech Republic as a whole and broken by region are given in the following publication ‘Harvest Forecasts – Operative Report as at 15 July 2014’.


Notes:
Contact person: Jiří Hrbek, (+420) 274 052 331, e-mail: jiri.hrbek@czso.cz
Data source: the CZSO sample survey in businesses farming agricultural land
End of data collection: 15 July 2013
End of data processing: 12 August 2013
Following outcomes: Harvest forecasts – operative report for July 2014 (contains more detailed information concerning estimates of the per hectare yields and production of selected fruits and early potatoes - also at http://www.czso.cz/csu/2014edicniplan.nsf/p/270128- 14)
Update procedure: The next forecast of the per hectare yields and production of selected agricultural crops as at 15 August 2014 will be released by the Czech Statistical Office on 9 September 2013.

Published: 13.08.2014
The data are valid as of the release date of the publication.