Crop production 2016: Harvest amounted 12% above long term average

Press release: 11.442-002/17

Vienna, 2017-01-03 - According to Statistics Austria, the cereal production 2016 (incl. milo, sorghum, buckwheat and grain maize) increased by 17% to 5.69 million tons compared to 2015. This represents an increase of 12% compared to the long-term average, and results in one of the best outcomes in the last ten years.

The weather of the summer season with moderate heat and sufficient rainfall was generally beneficial for the development of field crops. So, dry pulses and oilseeds achieved, due to high yields on rape, soya beans and sunflower, a record production of 451 000 tons, which is 23% more than in the drought affected year 2015 and 15% more than the long-term average. Root crops also benefitted from the adequate and regular water supply and therefore with prospectively 4.4 million tons will achieve a sound harvest result, too (+29% compared with 2015; 14% above the long-term average).

Enough cereals and grain maize

The cereal production excl. grain maize (incl. milo, sorghum, buckwheat) amounted to 3.51 million tons. This represents an increase of 10% compared with the previous year and a significantly above-average harvest (+17% to the ten-year average). A similar high result within the last ten years was only achieved in 2014.

The wheat production amounted to 1.97 million tons (+14%), of which 94% were common wheat (including spelt) with a production of 1.85 million tons (+13% to 2015). The rye harvest amounted to 188 400 tons (+10% compared with 2015). With 859 700 tons barley, despite significant area reduction, reached a slightly higher production compared with the previous year (+2%). Due to high yields, triticale also achieved a harvest of 322 600 tons (+14% to 2015).

The production of grain maize (incl. corn seeds) amounted to 2.18 million tons, which was by a third more than in the previous year (+33%) where drought-related high area and yield losses occured; an increase of 5% was observed compared with the ten-year average.

High yields of rape, soya and sunflowers; record production of oil pumpkin

Rape and turnip rape achieved a production of 141 900 tons (+27% to 2015), which was partly area-related. The harvest of sunflower was with 59 900 tons extremely profitable (+57% to 2015), but due to area reduction stayed below the long-term average (-6%). The production of soya beans despite area reduction recorded with 152 600 tons an increase of 12% compared with the unprofitable previous year. The production of oil pumpkin seeds was very profitable, too - this was caused by high area increases, especially in Lower Austria, connected with the highest yield in the last ten years. Therefore, a record amount of 29 500 tons was achieved, which was 52% more than in the previous year; the highest production share thereof yielded Lower Austria. Due to high per hectare yield and an area expansion of 30%, the production of poppy seed increased by 42% to 2 500 tons compared with 2015.

Potatoes and sugar beets benefitted from the sufficient water supply

Potatoes reached an above-average harvest with 767 300 tons, which was 12% more than in the long-term average and 43% more than in 2015. Also the production of sugar beets is expected to be very fruitful after the poor harvest of the previous year: 3.61 million tons could be harvested (more than a quarter compared with 2015; +14% compared with the long-term average).

Methodical information, definitions:The harvest survey is based on the yield survey of Agrarmarkt Austria as well as on the yield estimations of around 2.000 voluntary reporting harvest reporters. As area basis for the calculation of harvest amounts, the area of the multiple applications of Agrarmarkt Austria, with reference date December 2016, was used.

For further inquiries please contact Directorate Spatial Statistics, Statistics Austria:
Renate BADER, Tel.: [phone] resp. [e-mail] and
Nabila ABDELKARIM, Tel.: [phone] resp. [e-mail]

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