Harvest forecast - September 2014

Extremely plentiful year for cereals, rape, and potatoes

The estimates of harvest as at 15 September 2014 have confirmed the year-on-year increase in the production of cereals, including grain maize, to 8 733 thous. tonnes (+16.4%) and the production of rape to 1 532 thous. tonnes (+6.2%). The expected production of potatoes of 668 thous. tonnes is by a quarter higher (+24.6%) compared to that of the last-year. The production of industrial sugar beet shall be 3 844 thous. tonnes (+2.7%).

The estimated production of cereals, including grain maize, of 8 733 thous. tonnes is by 1 233 thous. tonnes higher (+ 16.4%) year-on-year (y-o-y) and will probably be the third highest in history; this year estimates are by 1.6% lower than the best harvest in 1990 and by 0.4% lower than that in 2004. The record breaking per hectare yield of 6.23 tonnes per hectare is by 16.7% higher than the last year one and almost by one quarter higher than the ten-year average (+24.6%). The area under cereals was 1 403 thous. hectares and thus remained at the level of the previous year.
The first estimated production of grain maize in an amount of 778 thous. tonnes of grain is by 15.2% higher compared to the last year due to the increased per hectare yield to 7.74 t/ha (+11.0%) and also the increased area under these crops to 100 thous. hectares (+3.7%).

The expected production of green and silage maize of 9 018 thous. tonnes is by 18.1% higher, y-o-y. The a rea under these crops slightly increased to 236 thous. ha (+0.7%) and the expected per hectare yield of 38.29 t/ha is by one fifth (+17.2%) higher than the last year one.

The estimated production of potatoes of 668 thous. tonnes is by almost a quarter higher (+24.6%) y-o-y, yet compared to the recent ten-year average it is by 11.8% lower. The hectare production is to be 27.86 tonnes (+20.5%). The sowing area of potatoes recorded a year-on-year increase to 24 thous. ha (+3.4%) for the first time after seven years. Nevertheless, it is by one third lower (-33.3%) compared to the area under this crop in 2004.

The estimated harvest of industrial sugar beet of 3 844 thous. tonnes is by 100 thous. tonnes higher (+2.7%) than the last year production. The per hectare yield increased by 1.8% to 61.05 tonnes. The area under industrial sugar beet also slightly increased to 63 thous. hectares (+0.9%), y-o-y.

This year rape production is record breaking 1 532 thous. tonnes, which is by 6.2% higher than the previous year and by 46.9% higher than the ten-year average. The expected per hectare yield is 3.94 t/ha (+14.2%, y-o-y) and is the highest in history, while the area under this crop was reduced to 389 thous. hectares (-7.0%)

The expected production of poppy seed has increased to 23 thous. tonnes (+67.0%), y-o-y due to an increase in the sowing area of this crop to 27 thous. ha (+33.4%) and a significant increase in the expected per hectare yield of 0.86 t/ha (+24.6%) y-o-y.

The estimated production of sunflower for seed at 44 thous. tonnes is by 6.8% lower than its harvest in 2013. The drop in its production can be entirely accounted to the reduced sowing area of this crop by 12.5% to 19 thous. hectares at the per hectare yield of 2.34 t/ha (+6.4%) y-o-y.

More detailed information on estimated per hectare yields and production 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 forecasts – operative report as at 15 September 2014’.


Notes:
Contact person: Jiří Hrbek, (+420) 274 052 33 1, e-mail: jiri.hrbek@czso.cz
Data source: the CZSO sample survey in businesses farming agricultural land
End of data collection: 16 September 2014
End of data processing: 10 October 2014
Following outcomes: Harvest forecasts – operative report as at 15 September 2014 - also at http://www.czso.cz/csu/2014edicniplan.nsf/p/270128- 14)
Update procedure: The finalised data on the production of agricultural crops for 2014 will be released by the Czech Statistical Office on 13 February 2015.

Published: 14.10.2014
The data are valid as of the release date of the publication.