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This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

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Final estimate of cereal harvest

15/01/2004

These statistics revise the provisional estimates published by the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) in October 2, 2003.

SEERAD's final estimate of 2003 total Scottish cereal production is 2,848,000 tonnes, approximately 70,000 tonnes lower than the provisional estimate. This represents a 12.1 per cent increase on production in 2002. Total combinable crop production is estimated at 2,976,000 tonnes, which is 12.3 per cent up on 2002. The details for each crop are:

• The wheat area decreased by 9.2 per cent. Despite an 8.6 per cent increase in yield, production fell by 1.4 per cent to 728,000 tonnes.

• The area of winter barley grown decreased by 8.3 per cent and yield increased by 4.4 per cent, resulting in a 4.2 per cent decline in production. Spring barley, the most widely-grown crop, saw increases in both area grown (0.8 per cent) and yield (23.0 per cent). This resulted in an increase in spring barley production of 24.0 per cent to 1,587,000 tonnes. Overall total barley production rose by 17.1 per cent to 1,980,000 tonnes.

• Winter oats production rose by 48.1 per cent, reflecting the combined effect of an 11.7 per cent expansion in area grown and a 32.6 per cent increase in yield. The area of spring oats grown decreased by 0.6 per cent and yield rose by 19.5 per cent. Total oats production increased by 26.9 per cent to 133,000 tonnes.

• Total production of oilseed rape increased by 16.3 per cent to 121,000 tonnes, reflecting a 13.9 per cent rise in area grown and an increase in yield of 2.2 per cent. Within the total, production of spring oilseed rape and winter oilseed rape rose by 10.5 per cent and 16.9 per cent respectively.

• The linseed area fell by 21.7 per cent and yield dropped by 20.5 per cent, resulting in a 37.8 per cent decrease in production to 1,099 tonnes.

• Protein peas production increased by 24.1 per cent to 5,728 tonnes, reflecting a growth in area (15.5 per cent) and an improved yield (7.5 per cent).

Crop area is taken from the June 2003 Agricultural Census. Yield and production estimates are obtained from a random sample survey of farms growing cereals, oilseed crops and peas.

Page updated: Saturday, July 17, 2004