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The average cereal yield per hectare constituted only 29.8 quintals (38.3 ql./ha in 2017) being the lowest yield registered over the past seven years. Last year, 690,900 hectares of land were covered with cereals, which is a reduction by 12,700 hectares or 1.8% from a year before.

“The harvested production of cereals was significantly influenced by drought and notable decline in the sown areas of winter cereals – of 131,000 hectares or 34.9% (of which a drop of 116,100 hectares or 35% in winter wheat areas) – resulting from the problems when sowing winter cereals due to the incessant rain of the autumn 2017. The share of winter cereals in the harvested production of grain fell from 69.6% in 2017 to 48.7% in 2018,” CSB said.

Nevertheless, compared to the year before, areas of spring cereals increased by 118,400 hectares or 36.1%, due to the draught the average yield thereof from one hectare was the lowest one recorded since 2010, reaching only 23.7 quintals in 2018 (24.9 ql./ha in 2017).

The average yield of grain in large agricultural holdings the cereal cropland in which exceeds 300 hectares (59% of the national grain area) exceeded national yield of cereals only by 3% and reached 30.8 quintals from hectare (in 2017 the indicator exceeded national average by 32% and constituted 50.5 ql./ha). In 2018, the areas produced 61% of all harvested production of grain.

In 2018, totally 1.7 mln tons of grain were purchased – 634,800 tons or 26.7% less than a year ago. Compared to 2017, the purchase price of grain grew by 16%, reaching EUR 168.34 per ton in 2018 and being the highest purchase price recorded since 2014.

In 2018, wheat accounted for 80.9% of the grain purchased (86.1% in 2017), and 84% of the volume purchased met food quality requirements (67.3% in 2017). The share of food rye in the total volume of purchased rye fell from 72.8% in 2017 to 70% in 2018.

In 2018, compared to the year before, the sown areas of rapeseed increased by 6,200 hectares or 5.3%. The average yield from one hectare dropped from 27.8 quintals in 2017 to 18.6 quintals in 2018, and the total rapeseed yield fell by 96,600 ton or 29.6%. In 2018, sowing of winter rapeseed, just like sowing of winter cereals, was hindered by incessant autumn rain contributing to the reduction of winter rapeseed areas by 15,900 hectares or 17.6%. The average yield of winter rapeseed reduced as well – by 11.4 quintals from hectare or 36.4%.

Compared to 2017, in 2018 potato plantation areas fell by 400 hectares or 1.7%, while harvested production of potatoes rose by 4.6%, as the average yield from one hectare increased by 11 quintals, reaching 191 quintals in 2018.

The long-running drought had a negative impact on production of vegetables. Last year, 139,100 tons of vegetables were produced (including vegetables in greenhouses), which is 18,000 tons or 11.5% less than in 2017. Nevertheless, areas of open field vegetables grew by 200 hectares, the harvested production thereof dropped by 18,000 tons or 12.4%. The average yield of open field vegetables decreased from 182 quintals from hectare in 2017 to 154 quintals from hectare in 2018. Just like a year before, 11,500 tons of vegetables were produced in greenhouses.