This year's total grain harvest is estimated at 4.2 million tonnes, which is 29 percent lower than last year's harvest.
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This is shown by the preliminary statistics for the 2023 harvest.
The total harvest is 21 percent lower than the average for the last five years, where 2018 with crop failures caused by drought is one of the years. This year, the weather was unfavorable in large parts of the country, with early summer drought and record amounts of rain in late summer.
The conditions during autumn cultivation in 2022 were good and large areas were sown with wheat and rapeseed in the autumn.
However, severe weather changes during the winter months led to significant areas of winter wheat and winter oilseed rape being wintered. Some areas were replaced by spring-sown crops, which, however, did not become well established in large parts of the country.
This was due to a delayed spring cultivation due to a prolonged early spring in combination with a subsequent early summer drought.
After midsummer, the weather became more changeable. In the southeast and northwest of the country, however, the dry weather persisted.
During the late summer, the weather was very unstable and large amounts of rain fell mainly in Örebro County, Västmanland County, Halland County, southern Västergötland County and southern Gävleborg County.
Many farmers have reported that fields have remained unharvested due to flooding, poor crop establishment, or a combination of both.
The total harvest of rapeseed and turnip rape is estimated at 310,500 tonnes, which is 27 percent lower than last year's total harvest. The yield per hectare of winter oilseed rape, which is the dominant crop, is 23 percent lower than the five-year average.
The total harvest of peas is estimated at 54,900 tonnes, which is 36 percent lower than last year's harvest and 18 percent lower than the five-year average.
The total harvest of faba beans is estimated at 48,400 tonnes, which is 38 per cent lower than last year and 14 per cent lower than the five-year average. Yields per hectare of peas and faba beans were 42 and 32 percent lower than in 2022, respectively.
The preliminary statistics published here are based on data from a subsample of 1,110 farms. ■