The autumn sown areas were of the same size as a year ago in most cases, also at a regional level. The exception was Gävleborg County, where persistent rainfall during the autumn impeded the autumn sowing. the winter wheat area was barely half as large as in the previous autumn. In other counties, the autumn sown areas are more on a level with the previous year’s often record areas. Large autumn sown areas are beneficial for many reasons, not least because they help reduce nutrition losses from arable land.

Winter wheat areas on a level with the peak areas in 2018

This autumn, 410 200 hectares of winter wheat were sown in Sweden, which is of a similar size as the peak areas in 2018. This year’s area was 8 percent larger than the average of the past five years.

Winter rye, winter barley, and winter triticale areas also on a level with the previous year’s areas

The autumn sown areas of rye amounted to 33 700 hectares, which is 46 percent more than the five-year average. Winter barley areas are estimated at 21 400 hectares, which is on a level with the large areas in 2018, and 20 percent more than the five-year average. The autumn sown areas of triticale are estimated at 28 800 hectares, which is on a level with both the five-year average and the 2018 areas.

Winter rape areas also match 2018 levels

Winter rape areas are estimated at 93 600 hectares, which means they are in the same range as in the previous autumn and the five-year average. Winter turnip areas are estimated at 800 hectares.

Organically cultivated autumn sowing on a level with a year ago

Total autumn sown areas cultivated organically amount to 49 800 hectares, which is on a level with the previous autumn’s area, but 36 percent more than the average in the past five years. There were 31 400 hectares of organically cultivated winter wheat areas, which is a 35 percent increase compared with the five-year average. Organically cultivated winter rape areas were estimated at 6 100 hectares, which is in the same range as the previous autumn’s area.

Early harvest facilitated large autumn sown areas

This year there was also ample time to prepare the land for autumn sowing, since this year’s crops could be harvested early, on the whole. However, at the end of September, the rainfall began. In particular in Gävleborg County and northern Svealand, persistent rainfall meant that some autumn sowings were not carried out. Some farmers even stated that they are unable to autumn sow wheat and oilseed crops because wild boar destroy the crops.

A more detailed report of this survey and results by county and production area is published in the Statistical Report JO 18 SM 1801 and on the Swedish Board of Agriculture website.

The information is based on a survey where nearly 4 000 farmers submitted information to Statistics Sweden about autumn sown areas.