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For more information on this release:
E-mail: agri@cso.ie Paul Deane (+353) 21 453 5560 Angela Hickey (+353) 21 453 5316
For general information on CSO statistics:
information@cso.ie (+353) 21 453 5000 On-line ISSN 1393-6867
CSO statistical release, , 11am

Area, Yield and Production of Crops

2018

Cereal and Potato Production 2018
 '000 tonnes
 WheatOatsBarleyTotal CerealsPotatoes
20176822051,5062,393412
20185071221,2251,854273
% change-25.7-40.4-18.7-22.5-33.8

Cereal Production down 22.5% in 2018

Figure 1 Cereal & Potato Production
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Overall production of the three main cereals (wheat, oats and barley) fell by 539,000 tonnes to 1,854,000 tonnes in 2018. This was due to combined decreases in all three main cereals, including a decrease of 198,000 tonnes in the production of spring barley. See Tables 1- 3. 

The yield of potatoes decreased by 26.1% from 44.9 tonnes per hectare in 2017 to 33.2 tonnes per hectare in 2018, resulting in a fall in production of 139,000 tonnes (-33.8%) to 273,000 tonnes. 

Further comparisons with the 2017 results show that:

  • Wheat production was down by 25.7% (-175,000 tonnes). The area sown decreased by 9,100 hectares (-13.5%), the yield decreased by 14.0%.
  • Oats production was down by 40.4% (-83,000 tonnes). The area sown decreased by 6,700 hectares (-27.3%) and the yield decreased by 18.0%.
  • Beans and peas production was down by 74.8% (-67,000 tonnes). The area sown decreased by 5,200 hectares (-38.0%) and the yield decreased by 59.4%.
Winter Wheat Spring WheatWinter OatsSpring Oats Winter Barley Spring BarleyBeans and PeasOilseed RapePotatoes
201053213780682459782528420
2011793136719832610861656356
20126268268883209412059232
20134221234314934213212349410
201466354886255911722034383
2015610861059371210276940360
201658760110736448367134352
201762755129765929149042412
20184852280425097162341273
Table 1 Area under Crops
DescriptionJune 2016June 2017June 2018   Change 2017 - 2018
          ' 000 hectares' 000 hectares%
Wheat - total67.967.058.0-9.1-13.5
   Winter wheat60.460.354.4-5.9-9.7
   Spring wheat7.56.83.6-3.2-47.5
      
Oats - total23.224.417.8-6.7-27.3
   Winter oats13.214.410.2-4.2-29.3
   Spring oats10.010.07.6-2.4-24.3
      
Barley - total189.2180.2185.25.02.8
   Winter barley74.665.057.9-7.2-11.0
   Spring barley114.6115.2127.412.210.6
      
Wheat, oats, barley - total280.3271.7261.0-10.7-3.9
      
Beans and peas12.513.78.5-5.2-38.0
Oilseed rape9.910.110.60.55.0
Potatoes9.09.28.2-1.0-10.4
Table 2 Yield of Crops
Description201620172018   Change 2017 - 2018
             tonnes per hectaretonnes per hectare%
Wheat - total9.510.28.7-1.4-14.0
   Winter wheat9.710.48.9-1.5-14.3
   Spring wheat8.08.26.2-1.9-23.5
      
Oats - total7.98.46.9-1.5-18.0
   Winter oats8.38.97.9-1.1-11.9
   Spring oats7.37.65.6-2.1-27.1
      
Barley - total7.88.46.6-1.7-20.9
   Winter barley8.69.18.8-0.3-3.5
   Spring barley7.37.95.6-2.3-29.1
      
Wheat, oats, barley - total8.28.87.1-1.7-19.3
      
Beans and peas5.76.62.7-3.9-59.4
Oilseed rape3.54.13.9-0.3-6.6
Potatoes38.944.933.2-11.7-26.1
Table 3 Production of Crops
Description201620172018   Change 2017 - 2018
          ' 000 tonnes' 000 tonnes%
Wheat - total648682507-175-25.7
   Winter wheat587627485-142-22.7
   Spring wheat605522-33-59.8
      
Oats - total183205122-83-40.4
   Winter oats11012980-49-37.7
   Spring oats737642-34-44.8
      
Barley - total1,4801,5061,225-281-18.7
   Winter barley644592509-83-14.1
   Spring barley836914716-198-21.6
      
Wheat, oats, barley - total2,3112,3931,854-539-22.5
      
Beans and peas719023-67-74.8
Oilseed rape344241-1-1.9
Potatoes352412273-139-33.8

Background Notes

Introduction   

This release presents final estimates of the area, yield and production of the main arable crops in 2018 together with the comparable estimates for 2016 and 2017. The June 2016 – June 2018 estimates for the area under crops shown in Table 1 have been obtained from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Basic Payment Scheme.      

The yield estimates are obtained from a joint survey conducted by Teagasc and the CSO.

Methodology   

The yield figures are given on a “green” (as harvested) basis. The winter wheat yield refers to feed wheat. Similarly, the spring barley yield refers to feed barley. The oilseed rape yield is a weighted average of the winter and spring yield.

The bean and pea yield is the weighted average of pea and bean yield.

For potatoes, the early crop yield was applied to a proportion of the area under potatoes based on an estimate of the area sown under early potato varieties in each county. The main crop yield was applied to the remaining area. 

The State yield figure is generally calculated by multiplying the area figure by the average yield figure at a county level and then aggregating to the State level. The State production figure is then calculated by multiplying the State area, as per the Basic Payment areas from DAFM, by the State yield figure.

As a result of rounding there may be slight discrepancies between the sum (or difference) of the constituent items and the total shown. Percentage changes have been calculated on actual figures.

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