Harvest forecast - September 2010

Less cereals in total and potatoes, sugar beet the same as in 2009

Based on a survey as at 15 September 2010 the Czech Statistical Office estimates that the harvest of cereals in total will reach the amount of 7 029 thous. tonnes and rape 1 062 thous. tonnes. In comparison with the slightly above-average year 2009, harvest of cereals, total will decrease by 10.1% and rape by 5.8%. Estimated harvest of potatoes, total in the amount of 666 thous. tonnes is by 11.5% lower compared to the 2009 harvest; expected harvest of industrial sugar beet of 3 053 thous. tonnes is by 0.5% higher than last year.

The first estimate of 2010 harvest of grain maze in the amount of 734 thous. tonnes is lower by 156 thous. tonnes (-17.5%) compared to 2009; it is caused by a lower yield per hectare of 7.34 t/ha (8.45 t/ha in 2009). The sowing area of the crops increased by 9.1%, year-on-year, to 100 thous. ha. After inclusion of grain maze, estimates of cereals, total were finalized. The estimated harvest of cereals, total reached the amount of 7 029 thous. tonnes and it is by 788 thous. tonnes lower in comparison to 2009. In comparison to the five-year average, this year’s harvest of cereals, total is lower by 451 thous. tonnes. The average yield per hectare of cereals, total is 4.84 t/ha (-5.9% when compared to 2009).

Together with the grain maze, estimation was made also for the green and silage maize. With the expected yield per hectare of 34.75 tonnes (38.15 in 2009), the harvest should reach the amount of 6 323 thous. tonnes (6 333 thous. tonnes in 2009).

The expected harvest of potatoes, total of 666 thous. tonnes is by 86 thous. tonnes (-11.5%) lower than in 2009 at the expected yield of 24.60 t/ha (last year 26.19 t/ha). The estimation of industrial sugar beet harvest in the amount of 3 053 thous. tonnes is by 15 thous. tonnes (+0.5%) higher thanks to the sowing area bigger by 4 thous. ha (+7.5%). The expected yield per hectare of the crop in the amount of 54.15 t/ha is by 6.5% lower than in 2009.

As for oleaginous crops, in the September survey an estimation of the expected harvest was made for rape, sunflower and poppy. The harvest of rape was almost complete as at 15 September. The estimated production of the crop reached the amount of 1 062 thous. tonnes, which is by 66 thous. tonnes (-5.8%) less than the record harvest in 2009. The estimation of harvest of sunflower for seed expects the harvest in the amount of 65 thous. tonnes (61 thous. tonnes in 2009) at the estimated yield of 2.41 t/ha (2.38 t/ha in 2009). The estimated production of poppy in the amount of 25 thous. tonnes is by 7 thous. tonnes lower in comparison to 2009. The following contribute to the lower expected production of poppy: y-o-y decrease of production areas by 3 thous. ha and decrease of the yield per hectare from 0.61 t/ha to 0.50 t/ha.

More detailed information – also in the breakdown by region – focused on estimates of yields per hectare and production of selected kinds of fruits and vegetables is available in the related publication Harvest forecast – operational report for September.

---

Note :
Contact: Jiří Hrbek, phone: (+420) 274 052 331 , e-mail: jiri.hrbek@czso.cz
Data source: CZSO sample survey in businesses farming agricultural land
End of data collection: 15 September 2010
End of data processing: 11 October 2010
Related publication: Harvest forecast – operational report for September – also at /csu/czso/harvest-forecast-operative-report-as-at-15-july-2010-e1jeqwkroj
Update procedure: Next forecast of the yields and production of selected agricultural crops as at 15 October 2010 will be released by the Czech Statistical Office on 5 November 2010.

Published: 12.10.2010
The data are valid as of the release date of the publication.