Poland’s Record Cereal Production in 2012

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Poland’s Record Cereal Production in 2012

17 January 2013

POLAND - Poland’s 2012 grains production is estimated at 28.5 million metric tons. Higher yields and changes in cropping patterns contributed to the 6.6 per cent increase in output over the 2011 level. In 2012 Poland’s corn production set a new record at four million tons while wheat output fell eight per cent.

In 2012 total domestic cereal production (including corn) amounted to 28.5 million tons, a 6.6 per cent increase over previous year and, on average, 6.8 per cent higher than production achieved during 2006- 2010 years.

Such a large increase in production was achieved despite less acreage. In 2012, area sown amounted to 7.7 million hectares or 1.3 per cent less than that sown in 2011.

The average yield increased to 37 tons per hectare or 8 per cent more than the yield in 2011. In 2012 yields on all varieties of winter and spring cereals exceeded that reported the previous year.

Table: Area, yields, production of grains total in Poland

The increase in the total cereal production resulted from higher grain yields and from changes in cropping patterns.

In 2012, corn share of total crop production increased significantly – to 14.4 per cent, up from 2011 level of 9.3 per cent.

Extensive weather damage to winter cereals, mainly wheat, shifted a majority of spring crop plantings to corn, in the process establishing a new record for that commodity.

Corn area increased by 63 per cent to 544 thousand hectares. Along with a larger acreage planted to corn average yield also increased 2.4 per cent to 7.35 tons per hectare. In 2012 Poland produced a record four million tons of corn (67 per cent more than recorded in 2011).

In 2012 wheat production decreased significantly, by about 8 per cent in relation to 2011. Unexpected loss of winter wheat crop due to the late freeze reduced harvested acreage by 558 thousand hectares, or by 29 per cent.

Although spring wheat area increased by 377 thousand hectares, up 115 per cent, and yields were very high - 3.77 tons per hectare, the crops production was insufficient to compensate for the decline in winter wheat production.