Agriculture, Analytics, Latvia, Markets and Companies

In comparison with the 2009, the share of cereals in total sown area almost has not changed (48.9% in 2010 and 48.6% in 2009), but the structure of sown areas has changed. Due to the market demand and increasing purchase prices, wheat are grown increasingly more. As the total area of rye has reduced, the share of wheat in the total area of cereals has increased from 53% in 2009 to 57% in 2010.

Due to drought and severe weather conditions the average yield of cereals has diminished – from 30.8 cnt from 1 ha in 2009 to 26.4 cnt in 2010.1.4 mln tons of grain were harvested, and it is 246.3 thsd tons or 14.8% less than a year before.

If compared to 2009, the share of withered cereals and cereals that were not harvested has increased more than two times and comprised 24.2 thsd ha or 4.5% of the total area of cereals. 4.7% of rye, 5.9% of spring barley, 10.4% of oats, and 20.7% of buckwheat withered or were not harvested.

Structure of areas of cereals, %

In 2010 totally 1120.1 thsd tons of cereals were purchased, and it is 38.8 thsd tons or 3.3% less than in 2009. Wheat comprised 82% of the purchased cereals (in 2009 – 70%) – the amount of purchased wheat has grown by 104.8 thsd tons or 13%, of which food wheat – by 104.8 thsd tons or 19%. The share of food wheat in the total volume of purchased wheat has reached 70% (in 2009 – 66%). The volume of purchased rye comprised 96.6 thsd tons or 66% less than in 2009, of which food rye – 69.4 thsd tons or 67% less.

As resulting from the bad harvest caused by the drought the world stock market prices grew, the average purchase prices of grain in 2010 increased by 45% – from LVL 73.25 per ton in 2009 to LVL 106.06 per ton in 2010 and reached the average purchase level of 2008.Prices of wheat increased from LVL 79.75 to LVL 110.21 per ton, of which prices of food wheat from LVL 85.11 to LVL 115.75 per ton (in December the prices of food wheat reached LVL 140.88 per ton), prices of rye – from LVL 56.02 to LVL 79.72 per ton, of which prices of food rye from LVL 57.22 to LVL 86.26 per ton.

Total production, purchase and average purchase prices of cereals

In 2010 sown area of rape grew by 16.2 thsd ha or by 17.3%. Despite the decrease of the average yield from 21.9 cnt in 2009 to 20.4 cnt in 2010, the total production of rape seeds increased by 18.9 thsd tons or by 9.3%. The growth of total production was influenced by the expansion of sown areas of spring and winter rape: As the average yield of spring rape has decreased from 16.2 cnt in 2009 to 13.2 cnt in 2010, the sown area of it has grown by 10.5 thsd ha or 32.3%, and as the average yield of winter rape retained the same level as a year before – 25.1 cnt, the sown area of it diminished by 9.3%. During the last three years the share of rape in total area of cereals has increased from 7.4% in 2008 to 10.0% in 2010.

In 2010 areas of potatoes comprised 30.1 thsd ha, and it is 0.4% more than in 2009.

In 2010 151 thsd tons of vegetables were grown (including vegetables in greenhouses), and it is 31.5 thsd tons or 17.3% less than a year before. Areas of open field vegetables have diminished to 8.1 thsd ha or by 2.0%. Severe weather conditions have made impact on the total production of the open field vegetables – it has decreased by 31.6 thsd tons or by 18.5%, if compared to 2009. The average yield of vegetables has decreased from 207 cnt in 2009 to 172 cnt in 2010.

Sown area of agricultural crops (thsd ha)

Total crop production and average yield

*) Provisional data