Based on the first estimates of this year’s harvest as at 10 June, it is expected that the production of basic cereals will be 6 784 thous. tonnes and the production of rape 1 135 thous. tonnes. Compared to the last year’s harvest, the production of basic cereals is expected to be by 234 thous. tonnes lower (−3.3%) and the production of rape by 22 thous. tonnes lower (−1.9%).

The production of basic cereals (excluding grain maize) is estimated in an amount of 6 784  thous. tonnes, which is by 234 thous. tonnes lower (−3.3%) than the last year’s production. The year-on-year (y-o-y) decrease in the production has been owing to a lower estimated per hectare yield of 5.42 t/ha (−1.8%) and a decrease in sowing areas to 1 251 thous. ha (−1.7%). This year’s production of basic cereals is estimated to be by 2.5% lower compared to the average harvest for the last ten years (the area −3.7%; the per hectare yield +1.2%).

The most frequent crop on fields in the Czech Republic is again winter wheat, which covers almost a third of the total area under crops (31.5%). Its estimated harvest of 4 445 thous. tonnes is by 271 thous. tonnes lower, y-o-y (−5.8%). The production decrease is mainly due to a decrease of the sowing area to 775 thous. hectares (−4.9%) and also a lower per hectare yield of 5.74 t/ha (−0.9%).

Spring wheat production is estimated to be 103 thous. tonnes, by 7.3% more than in 2019, thanks to an increase in the per hectare yield by 11.7% to 4.29 t/ha. The sowing area of spring wheat is by 3.9% smaller, y-o-y; it dropped to 24 thous. hectares and compared to the average for the last ten years it decreased by almost a half (−48.0%).

Spring barley (a cereal with the second largest sowing area, following the winter wheat) production is estimated to be 1 081 thous. tonnes, almost the same as in 2019 (+0.6%). The sowing area of spring barley increased by 2.6% to 217 thous. hectares. The per hectare yield of 4.97 t/ha is by 2.0% lower, year-on-year.

The winter barley production in 2020 is expected to be 625 thous. tonnes; it is by 3.0% less, y-o-y, due to a lower per hectare yield of 5.45 t/ha (−8.9%). The sowing area increased to 115 thous. hectares (+6.4%).

The rye production estimated to be 159 thous. tonnes has slightly increased (+1.0%) thanks to an increase in its sowing area to 31 thous. hectares (+1.0%). The per hectare yield of 5.06 t/ha is on the same level as in 2019.

The expected harvest of oats of 164 thous. tonnes is by a fifth higher, y-o-y (+22.2%) thanks to both an increase in its sowing area to 47 thous. hectares (+9.9%) and a higher estimated per hectare yield of 3.51 t/ha (+11.1%).

The production of triticale this year is estimated to be 207 thous. tonnes; it is by 6.0% higher, y-o-y, because of an increase in its sowing area to 42 thous. hectares (+6.1%), whereas the per hectare yield has slightly dropped to 4.92 t/ha (−0.2%).

Rape is the second most frequently sown crop (the first one is winter wheat); this year, it is sown on 15.0% of the total area under crops. The rape sowing area has decreased by 3.0% y-o-y, to 368 thous. hectares. Due to that, the expected production of 1 135 thous. tonnes is by 1.9% lower than last year’s harvest despite a slight increase in its per hectare yield to 3.08 t/ha (+1.0%). The estimated rape production is by 9.3% lower compared to the ten-year average. The decrease is contributed to by both its lower sowing area (−5.5%) and a lower per hectare yield (−4.0%).

More detailed information on estimated per hectare yields and production of selected crops in the Czech Republic as a whole and broken down by Region are given in the related publication: Harvest Estimates – Operative Report as at 10 June 2020. Information on the area and structure of sowing areas is released in the publication: Areas under Crops Survey – 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 V6) and questionnaire on Areas under Crops (Osev 3-01)
End of data collection: 11 June 2020
End of data processing: 1 July 2020
Related publications: Harvest Estimates – Operative Report as at 10 June 2020
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/odhady-sklizne-operativni-zprava-k-10-6-2020
Areas under Crops Survey – 2020
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/soupis-ploch-osevu-k-31-5-2020
Update procedure: Harvest estimates – July 2020; to be published on 13 August 2020