Statistics: 2020 harvest slightly below last year's record harvest
Data from Statistics Estonia shows that, by mid-September, 86 percent of grain and 41 percent of potatoes grown in the country have been harvested. Harvesting has been slightly delayed due to difficult weather, grain and potatoes have been collected only a little less than last year, the record year.
Statistics Estonia analyst Eve Valdvee told ETV's current affairs news show "Aktuaalne kaamera" on Thursday the harvest survey was conducted with the data until September 15. Although the harvesting of both grain and potatoes has been slightly delayed due to difficult weather conditions, it can already be said that farmers have harvested well.
For most crops, the harvest has been significantly lower than last year. The yield is quite good this year and it can be assumed that the potato harvest will still be comparable to last year. In the case of cereals, this yield is expected to be about 6 percent lower than the harvest area.
Private limited company Osa ja Tervik's manager Margo Heinmaa said this year's potato harvest is better than the average for the last several years. "It will take at least another 10 days to reach the finish line. The beginning of September was very wet, it was very sad. But now we are starting to meet the planned schedule," he said.
Väätsa Agro also has its grain has been harvested and dried. Lenno Link, a member of the board of Väätsa Agro, said most of the grain had been harvested at the end of August.
"The last 60 hectares were left there in the first half of September, then we pecked in between the rains. The harvest numbers were very good. We harvested 1,000 hectares and the average per hectare averaged six tons of grain," he said.
The final harvest numbers will be published by Statistics Estonia in January next year.
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Editor: Roberta Vaino
