In 2022 harvested production of grain 8 % higher than a year ago

Provisional data of the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia show that 3.2 million tonnes of grain were harvested in 2022, which is 249.1 tonnes or 8.3 % more than in 2021, however, 253.4 tonnes or 7.2 % fewer than in 2020 when the highest grain yield (3.5 million tonnes) was harvested.

Irrespective of the fact that in 2022, just like the year before, grain yield was influenced by the prolonged heat and drought, it rose from 38.6 quintals per hectare in 2021 to 41.6 quintals from hectare in 2022.

Harvested production and average yield of agricultural crops

In 2022, harvested production of winter cereals reached 2.5 million tonnes, which is 168.8 thousand tonnes or 7.3 % more than a year ago, however average yield from one hectare grew only by 0.6 quintals. The share of winter cereals in the harvested production of grain has dropped from 77.6 % in 2021 to 76.8 % in 2022. 

Winter wheat took 69.0 % of the total harvested grain (70.1 % in 2021). The average yield thereof from one hectare grew slightly – from 49.2 quintals in 2021 to 49.9 quintals in 2022. Due to the growing areas of winter cereals (up by 22.5 thousand hectares or 5.3 %), the harvested production thereof reached 2.2 million tonnes, which is 141.7 thousand tonnes or 6.8 % more than a year ago.

Irrespective of the decline in spring cereal areas, the average yield thereof from one hectare grew by 5.1 quintals in 2022 (compared to 2021 when the lowest average yield of spring cereals from one hectare (22.9 quintals) in the past 11 years was recorded). Compared to the year before, the harvested production of spring cereals grew by 80.3 thousand tonnes or 12.0 % (mainly due to the rise in harvested production of barley (of 30.6 thousand tonnes or 20.2 %) and oats (41.6 thousand tonnes or 22.7 %). 

Sown area of spring cereals reduced by 25.2 thousand hectares or 8.6 %. Area of spring wheat by 23.3 thousand hectares or 20.6 % and or spring barley by 6.5 thousand hectares or 10.3 %. Significant upturn was observed in buckwheat areas – of 9.1 thousand hectares or 45.6 %, the share thereof in the total sown area of cereals rose from 2.6 % in 2021 to 3.7 % in 2022. As the buckwheat areas increased, the harvested production thereof grew from 11.0 thousand tonnes or 76.2 %.

In 2022, 780.1 thousand hectares of land were covered with cereals, which is 3.7 thousand hectares or 0.5 % more than a year before, moreover it is the widest area registered in the agriculture of Latvia.

Sown area of agricultural crops

(thousand hectares)

 9.7 % more grain purchased in 2022; average purchase price up by 41.3 %

Last year, a total of 2.8 million tonnes of grain were purchased, 244.2 thousand tonnes or 9.7 % more than a year ago. The average purchase price of grain has risen notably – from EUR 196.84 per tonne in 2021 to EUR 278.19 per tonne in 2022 or by 41.3 %.

Wheat took 85.0 % of the grain purchased (84.4 % in 2021), of which 74.7 % met food quality requirements (65.4 % in 2021). The share of food rye in the total rye purchased grew slightly – from 77.4 % in 2021 to 77.7 % in 2022.

Harvested production of rape seeds down by 16.5 %

In 2022, sown area of rape reached 160.3 thousand hectares, which is 13.4 thousand hectares or 9.2 % more than in 2021 and the widest area of rape recorded in the history of Latvia. Due to unfavourable weather conditions only 354.9 thousand tonnes of rape were harvested, which is 16.5 % fewer than a year ago, moreover the smallest number registered in the last four years and the lowest average yield from one hectare (22.1 quintals). Decline in the harvested production of rape seeds was mainly influenced by the drop in the average yield of winter rape from one hectare – from 30.5 quintals in 2021 to 23.1 quintals in 2022. Sown area of winter rape occupied 86.9 % of the total rape area, and it has increased by 7.1 thousand hectares or 5.4 % in 2022.

Areas of potatoes and vegetables in open field keep getting smaller

In 2022, a total of 246.7 thousand tonnes of potatoes were harvested, 2.3 thousand tonnes or 0.9 % fewer than a year ago. The average yield of potatoes from one hectare grew by 13.4 quintals or 8.8 % and reached 166 quintals, which is the second lowest yield from hectare since 2010 when it constituted 161 quintals (the lowest 153 quintals in 2021). Potato plantations have diminished more than twice over the past 12 years (from 30.1 thousand hectares in 2010 to 14.9 thousand hectares in 2022).

The year 2022, just like the year before, was unfavourable for open field vegetables. The average yield thereof from one hectare constituted 154 quintals, which is the lowest average yield of open-field vegetables recorded since 2013 when it constituted just 148 quintals. Last year, a total of 113.6 thousand tonnes of vegetables were produced (including in greenhouses), which is 14.9 thousand tonnes or 10.7 % fewer than in 2021. Production of vegetables in greenhouses has reduced by 0.6 thousand tonnes or 5.1 %.                              

Methodological explanations

1 Provisional data.

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More information on data:
Guna Karlsone
Agricultural Statistics Section
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