RLAG2501
Harvested grain production up by 16.1 % in 2024
Central Statistical Bureau provisional data show that 3.2 million tonnes of grain were harvested in 2024, which is 436.4 thousand tonnes (16.1 %) more than in 2023.
Last year, the average cereal yield reached 39.4 quintals per hectare. It is 15.5 % more than in 2023 when cereal yield was negatively affected by unfavourable weather conditions resulting in the lowest yield in the past five years (34.1 quintals per hectare), moreover, all cereals produced higher average yield.
In 2024, compared to 2023, the harvested production of winter cereals increased by 321.4 thousand tonnes (15.3 %), reaching 2.4 million tonnes. The average yield of winter cereals grew from 41.3 quintals per hectare in 2023 to 47.5 quintals per hectare in 2024.
Winter wheat took up 69.0 % of all harvested grain (69.5 % in 2023). As the average yield per hectare grew by 16.4 % (from 42.7 in 2023 to 49.7 in 2024), the harvested production of winter wheat reached 2.2 million tonnes (289.1 thousand tonnes (15.3 %) more than in 2023).
Harvested production and average yield of agricultural crops
| Harvested production, | Average yield, | ||||
2023 | 20241 | Change, % | 2023 | 20241 | Change, % | |
Cereals | 2 715.9 | 3 152.3 | 16.1 | 34.1 | 39.4 | 15.5 |
winter cereals | 2 102.8 | 2 424.2 | 15.3 | 41.3 | 47.5 | 15.0 |
wheat | 1 886.9 | 2 176.0 | 15.3 | 42.7 | 49.7 | 16.4 |
rye | 104.4 | 116.6 | 11.7 | 31.0 | 33.3 | 7.4 |
barley | 93.7 | 107.6 | 14.8 | 34.7 | 35.3 | 1.7 |
triticale | 16.8 | 24.0 | 42.9 | 26.7 | 36.3 | 36.0 |
spring cereals | 614.0 | 728.1 | 18.6 | 21.3 | 25.1 | 17.8 |
wheat | 249.9 | 289.9 | 16.0 | 24.8 | 27.8 | 12.1 |
barley | 139.2 | 145.3 | 4.4 | 23.1 | 26.3 | 13.9 |
oats | 200.3 | 263.1 | 31.4 | 20.5 | 24.4 | 19.0 |
buckwheat | 19.3 | 24.8 | 28.5 | 7.0 | 11.7 | 67.1 |
Rape seeds | 349.5 | 249.1 | −28.7 | 23.1 | 20.3 | −12.0 |
Potatoes | 258.1 | 227.9 | −11.7 | 184.4 | 177.5 | −3.7 |
Vegetables | 100.3 | 99.3 | −1.0 | 164.0 | 160.8 | −2.0 |
Sown area of cereals keeps growing
Sown area of cereals keeps growing and reached 800.8 thousand hectares in 2024. It is 3.4 thousand hectares more than in 2023.
Along with wider areas of oats (up by 10.0 thousand hectares (10.2 %)), sown area of spring cereals increased by 2.2 thousand hectares (0.8 %) in 2024. However, sown area of spring barley kept reducing (down by 4.9 thousand hectares (8.1 %)).
Sown area of agricultural crops
(thousand hectares)
| 2023 | 20241 | Change, % |
Total sown area | 1 302.7 | 1 290.9 | -0.9 |
Cereals | 797.4 | 800.8 | 0.4 |
winter cereals | 508.9 | 510.1 | 0.2 |
wheat | 441.9 | 438.1 | -0.9 |
rye | 33.7 | 35.0 | 3.9 |
barley | 27.0 | 30.5 | 13.0 |
triticale | 6.3 | 6.6 | 4.8 |
spring cereals | 288.5 | 290.7 | 0.8 |
wheat | 100.8 | 104.2 | 3.4 |
barley | 60.2 | 55.3 | -8.1 |
oats | 97.7 | 107.7 | 10.2 |
buckwheat | 27.6 | 21.1 | -23.6 |
Rape | 151.2 | 122.5 | -19.0 |
Potatoes | 14.0 | 12.8 | -8.6 |
Vegetables | 6.1 | 6.2 | 1.6 |
10.5 % less grain purchased in 2024; average purchase price down by 8.0 %
Last year, a total of 2 959.6 thousand tonnes of grain were purchased, which is 282.4 thousand tonnes (10.5 %) more than a year ago. The average purchase price of grain fell from 208.39 euro per tonne in 2023 to 191.71 euro per tonne in 2024.
Wheat made up 83.0 % of all grain purchased (84.8 % in 2023), of which 68.8 % met the food quality requirements (71.7 % in 2023). The share of food rye in the total volume of rye purchased rose from 66.2 % in 2023 to 73.2 % in 2024.
Refer to the OSP database: LAG070c, LAC020
Harvested production of rape seeds down by 28.7 %
As the total area of rape reduced by 27.8 thousand hectares (19.0 %) in 2024, the harvested production of rape seeds fell by 100.4 thousand tonnes (28.7 %). The average yield of winter rape from one hectare dropped from 23.7 quintals in 2023 to 21.3 quintals in 2024 and was the lowest yield produced in the last six years. The average yield of spring rape from one hectare went up by 1.4 quintals (9.5 %).
The reduction in the total sown area of rape was caused by smaller winter rape areas (down by 40.7 thousand hectares (28.8 %)), as part of the winter rape did not survive the winter and was resown with spring crops. Following the reduction to 10.1 thousand hectares in 2023, the areas of spring rape increased by 12.0 thousand hectares (118.8 %).
Harvested production of potatoes and vegetables keeps reducing
The area of potato plantations has diminished significantly over the past 14 years – from 30.1 thousand hectares in 2010 to 12.8 thousand hectares in 2024. A total of 227.9 thousand tonnes of potatoes were harvested in 2024. It is 30.2 thousand tonnes (11.7 %) fewer than a year ago. The average yield of potatoes from one hectare fell by 6.9 quintals (3.7 %) and made up 177.5 quintals.
In 2024, a total of 108.4 thousand tonnes of vegetables were produced (including in greenhouses), which is 2.6 thousand tonnes (2.3 %) fewer than in 2023. The reduced vegetable production was mainly caused by a smaller volume of greenhouse-grown vegetables (down by 1.6 thousand tonnes (14.6 %)). Additionally, the volume of vegetables produced in open field fell by 1.0 thousand tonnes.
Methodological information
1 Provisional data.
Media requests:
Public Relations Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666
More information on data:
Rita Žagare
Agricultural Statistics Section
E-mail: Rita.Zagare@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366819
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