Last year’s cereal production was the lowest in five years

Total cereal production included 455,500 tonnes of wheat, 357,400 tonnes of barley and 32,400 tonnes of rye. The average yield per hectare was 2,658 kilograms of cereals, whereas the average yield for wheat was 2,769 kilograms, for barley 2,641 kilograms and for rye 2,616 kilograms.

In 2016, the sown area of cereals was very close to that of the previous year. Cereals were grown on a total of 351,400 hectares, which is 0.3% more than in the previous year. The sown area of wheat was 164,500 hectares, which is 3% less than in the previous year. The sown area of barley increased by 3% and amounted to 135,300 hectares in 2016. The sown area of rye decreased by 13% and amounted to 12,400 hectares.

The production of legumes was 109,500 tonnes, which is 27% more than in 2015. The average yield was 1,975 kilograms of legumes per hectare. Legumes were sown on 55,400 hectares, which is 77% more than the year before and also the largest sown area of legumes ever.

The yield of rape and turnip rape seed was 102,500 tonnes. In 2016, rape and turnip rape were sown on 70,100 hectares. The average yield was 1,462 kilograms of rape and turnip rape seed per hectare.

The production of potatoes amounted to 89,800 tonnes, which is 23% less than the year before. The sown area of potatoes was 5,600 hectares in 2016. The average yield of potatoes was 15,920 kilograms per hectare.

The statistics are based on the Estonian Agricultural Registers and Information Board (ARIB) land use data and statistical questionnaires “Crop production” and „Farm Structure Survey“, the deadlines of which were 10 November 2016 and 15 November 2016, respectively. Statistics Estonia published the yearly summary of the preliminary data in 49 working days. For the statistical activity “Crop production”, the main representative of public interest is the Ministry of Rural Affairs, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia collects and analyses the data necessary for conducting this statistical activity.