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For more information on this release:
E-mail: agri@cso.ie Sophie Emerson (+353) 21 453 5453 Lisa Horan (+353) 21 453 5791
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

2019

Cereal and Potato Production 2019
 '000 tonnes
 WheatOatsBarleyTotal CerealsPotatoes
20185071221,2251,854273
20196362031,5582,396382
% change+25.5+65.8+27.2+29.3+40.1

Cereal Production up 29.3% in 2019

Figure 1 Cereal & Potato Production
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Overall production of the three main cereals (wheat, oats and barley) rose from 1,854,000 tonnes in 2018 to 2,396,000 tonnes in 2019 (+29.3%). This was due to combined increases in all three main cereals, including an increase of 272,000 tonnes in the production of winter barley (+53.5%). See Tables 1- 3. 

The production of potatoes increased from 273,000 tonnes in 2018 to 382,000 tonnes in 2019 (+40.1%). The yield of potatoes increased from 33.2 tonnes per hectare to 44.1 tonnes per hectare (+32.9%). See Tables 1- 3. 

Further comparisons with the 2018 results show that:

  • Wheat production increased by 129,000 tonnes (+25.5%). The area sown increased by 5,500 hectares (+9.5%) and the yield increased by 14.6%.
  • Oats production increased by 80,000 tonnes (+65.8%). The area sown increased by 6,000 hectares (+34.0%) and the yield increased by 23.7%.
  • Production of beans and peas almost doubled from 23,000 tonnes in 2018 to 44,000 tonnes in 2019 (+93.9%). Yield doubled from 2.7 tonnes per hectare to 5.4 tonnes per hectare, although the area sown decreased by 400 hectares (-4.3%). 
Winter Wheat Spring WheatWinter OatsSpring Oats Winter Barley Spring BarleyBeans and PeasOilseed RapePotatoes
201053213780682459782528420
2011793136719832610861656356
20126268268883209412059232
20134221234314934213212349410
201466354886255911722034383
2015610861059371210276940360
201658760110736448367134352
201762755129765929149042412
20184852280425097162341273
201960531147557817774438382
Table 1 Area under Crops
DescriptionJune 2017June 2018June 2019   Change 2018 - 2019
          ' 000 hectares' 000 hectares%
Wheat - total67.058.063.55.59.5
   Winter wheat60.354.459.75.29.6
   Spring wheat6.83.63.80.37.2
      
Oats - total24.417.823.86.034.0
   Winter oats14.410.216.66.463.1
   Spring oats10.07.67.2-0.4-5.1
      
Barley - total180.2185.2179.4-5.8-3.2
   Winter barley65.057.982.825.043.2
   Spring barley115.2127.496.5-30.8-24.2
      
Wheat, oats, barley - total271.7261.0266.75.72.2
      
Beans and peas13.78.58.1-0.4-4.3
Oilseed rape10.110.69.2-1.4-12.9
Potatoes9.28.28.70.45.4
Table 2 Yield of Crops
Description201720182019   Change 2018 - 2019
             tonnes per hectaretonnes per hectare%
Wheat - total10.28.710.01.314.6
   Winter wheat10.48.910.11.213.8
   Spring wheat8.26.28.32.032.1
      
Oats - total8.46.98.51.623.7
   Winter oats8.97.98.91.012.6
   Spring oats7.65.67.72.138.7
      
Barley - total8.46.68.72.131.3
   Winter barley9.18.89.40.67.2
   Spring barley7.95.68.02.443.1
      
Wheat, oats, barley - total8.87.19.01.926.5
      
Beans and peas6.62.75.42.7102.6
Oilseed rape4.13.94.20.37.7
Potatoes44.933.244.110.932.9
Table 3 Production of Crops
Description201720182019   Change 2018 - 2019
          ' 000 tonnes' 000 tonnes%
Wheat - total68250763612925.5
   Winter wheat62748560512024.8
   Spring wheat552231941.6
      
Oats - total2051222038065.8
   Winter oats129801476783.7
   Spring oats7642551331.6
      
Barley - total1,5061,2251,55833327.2
   Winter barley59250978127253.5
   Spring barley914716777618.5
      
Wheat, oats, barley - total2,3931,8542,39654229.3
      
Beans and peas9023442193.9
Oilseed rape424138-3-6.2
Potatoes41227338210940.1

Background Notes

Introduction   

This release presents final estimates of the area, yield and production of the main arable crops in 2019 together with the comparable estimates for 2017 and 2018. The June 2017 – June 2019 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 bean yield and pea 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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