The total cereal production is estimated at 4.2 million tonnes, which is 27 percent less than in 2022. The total production is also 19 percent less than the average in the last five years, of which 2018 stands out with crop failure due to drought. In the northernmost part of the country, the reduction in yield levels were less severe. In Norrbotten County, the yield level for spring barley was higher than the mean value for the county. The circumstances during the autumn season 2022 were favourable and large areas were sown with wheat and rape. Severe weather changes during the winter months, however, led to decreased survival rates for considerable areas of crops. The establishment of spring sown crops were weak because of prolonged cold winter weather and a following early summer draught. Late summer heavy raining led to a considerable amount of crop areas that was not being harvested because of flooding, poor crop establishment, or a combination of both.

Large areas of unharvested crops

On a national level, 2.3 percent of the total area sown with cereals and 6.3 percent of the area sown with peas was left unharvested, the highest percentages since 2012. For rape and turnip, 2.1 percent of the area was left unharvested and for field beans the rate was 3.5 percent, the highest percentages since the drought year 2018.

Oilseed rape and oilseed turnip rape harvest decreased by 26 percent

The preliminary estimate for the total production of oilseed rape and oilseed turnip rape is 315 700 tonnes, which is 26 percent less than in 2022. At the national level, the yield per hectare of winter rape, which is the dominant crop, was 23 percent below the five-year average. The area with winter rape, 112 380 hectares, is the highest ever in the country. In Gotland County, the yield per hectare for winter rape was 54 percent lower than the mean value for the County.

Total harvest of peas is 36 percent less than last year

The total production of peas is estimated at 55 100 tonnes, which is 36 percent less than last year’s harvest and 17 percent below the five-year average. In Kalmar County, however, the yield per hectare for peas was on the same level as the mean value for the County. The preliminary estimate of the total production of field beans on a national level is 48 800 tonnes, which is 38 percent less 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 32 percent less, respectively, than in 2022.

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

Definitive results for 2023 will be published in April 2024.