During the vegetation period, the ratio of heat to rainfall has been suitable in respect of growth of field crops almost in the entire country. At the beginning of the summer, turnip rape was taxed by a flea beetle attack, which made one or more repeat sowings necessary. The grain crop may reach 4 billion kilograms, if the growth conditions continue to be as favourable as earlier. For almost all cereals, the crops per hectare seem to be one tenth higher than average. The preliminary harvest estimate reflects the harvest situation in the middle of July. The remainder of the vegetation period and the harvest conditions will have a decisive effect on the quantities to be threshed in the autumn.

Rye and winter wheat crops well up on the previous year

Along with increases in the areas sown to rye and winter wheat, good growth conditions early in the summer made it possible to hope for a rye crop of 85 million kilograms and a winter wheat crop of over 130 million kilograms. Compared to last year, the increase in the crop quantity would be 68% for rye and up to 110% for winter wheat. In Finland, the most commonly grown bread grain is spring wheat. Its crop is likely to fall from last year, because the area sown to spring wheat is slightly smaller than last year and at the moment the crop per hectare seems to remain on the same level as last year. According to a current estimate, the spring wheat crop will be approx. 590 million kilograms.


Oats crop may exceed last year's crop by 200 million kilograms


The oats crop may exceed last year's crop by 200 million kilograms, because both the increased area under cultivation and expectation of a higher yield per hectare increase the crop volume. Of the cereals to be threshed in the autumn, almost one third, i.e. 1.23 billion kilograms, is likely to be oats.

Almost half of the cereals to be harvested in Finnish fields continues to be barley. This summer, the decrease of 13,000 hectares in the area under barley equals the increase in area under oats. According to estimates, the barley crop per hectare will remain at last year's level, i.e. the amount of barley to be threshed is likely to be 1.90 billion kilograms, which is 70 million kilograms less than last year.


Flea beetle attack cast a shadow over the turnip rape crop


Last year witnessed the largest turnip rape crop ever in Finland: 137 million kilograms.
Due to a violent flea beetle attack, which cast a shadow over this year's harvest outlook, repeat sowings of either turnip rape or grain have had to be carried out to replace the turnip rape seedlings that had been eaten. By the current final stage of blooming, the plant stands have recovered well and the turnip rape crop is expected to reach 100 million kilograms.


Sugar beet crop may fall by 40%


Because sugar beet production has decreased also this year, the anticipated sugar beet crop has fallen to 560 million kilograms. In 2006, thanks to the good sugar beet crop per hectare, the total crop fell only by 19%, even though the cultivated area decreased by 24% from the year 2005. Now that the crop per hectare is expected to be average, the total crop may be as much as 40% smaller than in 2006.


The crop estimates are based on estimates illustrating the situation of July 16th, created by the local experts of ProAgria Rural Advisory Centres in their own areas. The municipality-specific estimates are based on visual observations and local expertise. The data on the areas under crop varieties have been obtained from support application forms submitted by farmers. Nearly 100% of these data had been recorded by 17 July 2007. The next crop estimate illustrating the situation of 24 August will be published at the beginning of September. The final crop calculation which will be based on information to be given by farmers will be published on December.


Additional information

Anneli Partala, Researcher, Tel. +358 20 77 21376
Mirva Kokkinen, Researcher, Tel. +358 20 77 21371
The format of e-mail addresses is firstname.lastname@mmmtike.fi

Havreskörden kan överstiga fjolårets skörd med 200 miljoner kilo

Havreskörden kan bli 200 miljoner kilo större än i fjol, eftersom både den ökade odlingsarealen och den högre förväntade hektarskörden ökar skördemängden. Nästan en tredjedel av den spannmål som tröskas i höst, dvs. 1,23 miljarder kilo, torde vara havre.


Nästan hälften av den spannmål som skördas från Finlands åkrar är fortfarande korn. I år minskade odlingsarealen av korn lika mycket som havrearealen ökade, eller med omkring 13 000 hektar. Kornets hektarskörd är på samma nivå som i fjol vilket innebär att kornskörden kommer att bli 1,90 miljarder kilo eller 70 miljoner kilo mindre än i fjol.


Rybsskörden nedsatt av jordloppsangrepp

Senaste höst bärgades den största rybsskörden i Finlands skördestatistik: 137 miljoner kilo. Årets skördeutsikter förmörkas av kraftiga angrepp av jordloppor. På många håll har man fått så om de åkrar där rybsplantorna ätits upp - antingen med rybs eller med stråsäd. Nu i slutet av blomningen har grödorna återhämtat sig bra och rybsskörden väntas uppgå till 100 miljoner kilo.


Sockerbetsskörden kan minska med 40 %

Odlingen av sockerbetor har minskat också i år vilket sänker skördeförväntningarna för socker-betor till omkring 560 miljoner kilo. Tack vare den höga hektarskörden av sockerbetor år 2006 minskade totalskörden endast med 19 % trots att odlingsarealen minskade med 24 % jämfört med år 2005. Nu då en medelmåttig hektarskörd förväntas kan totalskörden bli upp till 40 % lägre än år 2006.


De hektarvisa skördeprognoserna baserar sig på uppskattningar som experter vid ProAgria Landsbygdscentralerna har gjort i sina respektive områden, och gäller situationen den 16 juli. Bedömningarna i kommunerna baserar sig på fältobservationer och lokal expertis. Uppgifterna om odlingsarealer baserar sig på de uppgifter som jordbrukarna har uppgett i sina stödansökningar, av vilka nästan 100 % sparats i registret före den 17 juli 2007. Nästa skördeprognos som gäller situationen den 26 augusti, publiceras i början av september. Den slutliga skördeberäkningen, som baserar sig på uppgifter som jordbrukarna uppgett, publiceras i december.


Tilläggsuppgifter


Forskare Anneli Partala, tfn 020 77 21376 (till 27.7.)
Forskare Mirva Kokkinen, tfn 020 77 21371 (från 30.7.)
E-postadressen skrivs i formen förnamn.efternamn@mmmtike.fi