Benefit: Crop harvest

GRAINS

Annual yields of grains vary somewhat due to weather conditions and cultivation decisions but the difference in volumes of grain types is quite clear. After feed grain barley is the most important grain in Finland. Its share started to rise in the beginning of the 1960s as the production of pork increased. Most of the barley is used as fodder for pigs. The crops of oat have remained quite stable since 1995 and the trend has been constant for decades. The crops of wheat have increased somewhat in the 2000s but its long-range yield variations have been subtle. The rye, on the other hand, was the most important grain in Finland in the 19th century. By 1950s its annual crops decreased at a relatively low level and have remained so since then.  

The crops of feed grain have also varied annually but the average annual crop has remained at about 3 000 million kg since the 1990s. There have, nevertheless, occurred some changes in the animal fodder production during the 20th century. Until 1960s hay and other green fodder covered most of the nutrition of domestic animals. At the moment the majority of the fodder is feed grain.

POTATO, SUGAR BEET AND RAPES

The yield of potato has remained quite stable since 1995, annual average yield has been about 700 million kg. The annual yield has remained at the same level for four decades even though the harvested area has decreased since the 1950s. The yield of sugar beet was annually about 1 100 million kg in 1995–2005 but has halved since then because of changes in agricultural subsidies.

The average yield of the turnip rape and the oilseed rape has been about 100 million kg annually since 1995. The crops of turnip rape have varied annually quite steeply between 50 and 160 million kg. The crops of oilseed rape have increased significantly since 2005 from less than 5 million kg to 24 million kg in 2013.

Crop production statistics. TIKE. Information Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Peltokasvitilastot. 2014. Tilastovakka. Tietoja maa- ja elintarviketaloudesta. TIKE. Information Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.