The 2023 autumn season were delayed and prolonged due to heavy raining and the intended establishment of particularly winter rape did not happen in many areas. The circumstances with heavy raining led to inferior establishment of crops in a notable number of areas. High levels of water and floodings during the winter months led to fields being submerged. A prolonged spring-winter with late local snowfall led to spring activities being delayed in large parts of Svealand and Götaland. This was followed by an early summer draught. The weather during the midst of the summer were generally cooler and wetter. Late summer and early autumn were generally warmer and dryer than usual which led to favourable circumstances during harvest season. Many farmers report the wet conditions during previous years establishment of winter-sown crops and the early summer draught as reasons for lower yield levels. Numerous farmers also report that the seed development in the crops were lower than expected.

Oilseed rape and oilseed turnip rape harvest decreased 5 percent

The preliminary estimate of the total production of oilseed rape and oilseed turnip rape is 289 400 tonnes, which is 5 percent less than a year ago. At the national level, the yield per hectare of winter rape, which is the dominant crop, was 2 percent below the five-year average. As a result of winter rape not being sown as intended, the total area of winter rape is around 33 400 hectares, or 31 percent less than last year.

Total harvest of peas is 36 percent higher than last year

The total production of peas is estimated at 74 400 tonnes, which is 36 percent higher than last year’s harvest and 10 percent higher than the five-year average. The total production of field beans is 51 300 tonnes, which is 6 percent higher than last year’s total harvest and 13 percent below the five-year average. The yields per hectare for peas and field beans were 43 and 31 percent higher respectively than in 2023.

Statistical databases

Time series with the final harvest statistics are available in Statistics Sweden’s Statistical Database (www.scb.se) and the Swedish Board of Agriculture’s statistical database (www.jordbruksverket.se). The Swedish Board of Agriculture’s statistical database also contains preliminary harvest statistics. Time series on harvest statistics are available from 1913 onwards for some of the crops.

A more detailed report on this survey and the results for individual crops have been published in the Statistical Report Production of cereals, dried pulses and oilseeds in 2023, national preliminary statistics, available on the Swedish Board of Agriculture’s website:

The Swedish Board of Agriculture

These preliminary statistics are based on data from a subsample of 1 107 farms. More accurate results based on the entire sample of 4 427 farms will be presented on 13 December. The results will then also be published by county and by the eight production areas of agriculture.

Information on autumn-sown areas in 2024 will be published on 29 November.