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The results help farmers to choose a variety, enabling them to assess how different varieties withstand Estonian conditions and what the yield and quality indicators were.

"The purpose of the agricultural value and use tests is to compare different varieties under the same growing conditions for the purpose of inclusion in the variety list," Andrus Rahnu, deputy director general of the Agricultural Research Center, said. "Each test lasts for at least two years and the test areas are selected with as uniform a soil and relief as possible so that all the varieties in the test are subject to as equal conditions as possible."

National agricultural value and use tests were carried out in 2019 at three test sites of the Agricultural Research Center, that is at the Viljandi test center, Voru test station, Kuusiku test center as well as at the Estonian Crop Research Institute in Jogeva County. In 2019, a total of 248 crop varieties were tested. For comparison, in 2018 this number was 227. A new culture is hemp, which in 2019 was tested with one variety. There are already two varieties of hemp being tested this year.

The results were compiled into the collection "Results and quality of variety comparison tests", which is being published by the Viljandi test center of the Agricultural Research Center for the 21st time. The collection contains the results of national agricultural value and use tests conducted in 2019 and provides an overview of the growing area of approved seed fields by varieties.