January 10, 2011

Estonia's 2010 grain yield 14% less than a year ago

Estonia's grain crop in 2010 was around 14% smaller than in 2009, according to an estimate offered by the Estonian Institute of Economic Research (EKI) in its grain market survey for 2009–2010.

In the harvest year ending June 30, 2010, 873,000 tonnes of grain was harvested. Grain exports amounted to 260,000 tonnes and imports to 136,000 tonnes.

For the 2010/2011 harvest year that started on July 1 last year EKI estimates Estonia's grain crop to have totalled 755,000 tonnes. Export is estimated to reach 190,000 and import 180,000 tonnes.

Just like elsewhere, the purchase price of grain has risen steeply during the first half of the harvest year 2010/2011. In November compared with the end of the harvest year 2009/2010, wheat for human consumption was 51% more expensive and rye 78% more expensive. According to EKI prices in Estonia in the final quarter of 2010 were among the lowest in the region, which suggests that there is still room for growth.