The production of cereals decreased last year

Photo: Peeter Kümmel / Sakala

According to the preliminary data of Statistics Estonia, the cereal production was 970,800 tons in 2013, which is 2% less than the year earlier.

The total cereal production included 406,300 tons of wheat, 439,000 tons of barley and 21,700 tons of rye. The average yield per hectare was 3,121 kilograms of cereals, whereas the average yield was 3,258 kilograms for wheat, 3,302 kilograms for barley and 1,885 kilograms for rye.

In winter 2012/2013, the conditions for winter crops were unfavourable. Therefore, in spring, summer crops were sown on some of the fields where winter crops had perished. The sown area of cereals was 311,000 hectares in 2013, 7% more than in the previous year. The sown area of wheat was 124,700 hectares, which was the same as in 2012. The sown area of barley increased by 22% and amounted to 133,000 hectares in 2013. The sown area of rye was 11,500 hectares, which is one third less compared to the previous year.

The production of legumes was 32,800 tons, which is two and a half times more than the year before, and the average yield was 2,312 kilograms per hectare. Legumes were sown on 14,200 hectares, which is almost a third more than the year before and also the largest sown area of legumes during the last three decades.

According to preliminary data, the yield of rape and turnip rape seed was 169,700 tons. In 2013, rape and turnip rape were sown on 85,600 hectares. The average yield was 1,984 kilograms of rape and turnip rape seed per hectare.

The production of potatoes amounted to 125,100 tons, which is 10% less compared to the year earlier. The sown area of potatoes has been less than 10,000 hectares since 2008 – it was 6,600 hectares in 2013. The average yield of potatoes was 18,875 kilograms per hectare.

In autumn 2013, 67,000 hectares of winter wheat, 11,800 hectares of rye and 4,900 hectares of triticale were sown for harvesting in 2014.