Västra Götaland County has a roughly 10 percent lower harvest of table potatoes. The main reason is because the cultivated area for table potatoes has dropped. Norrbotten County and Västerbotten County harvests are 36 percent and 22 percent lower compared to last year. The chilly weather during the summer and heavy rains led to low harvests and problems with digging up the potatoes; frost damage also occurred in these counties. Other counties show the same pattern with decreasing total harvests compared to previous years, but the results are within the margin of error.

Area for table potatoes decreased by 1 000 hectares

The preliminary area for table potatoes amounted to 16 660 hectares on the national area in 2015. The area has decreased by about 1 000 hectares or 5.6 percent compared with last year's statistics and is the lowest area ever to be recorded. The areas in Skåne and Västra Götaland County have decreased the most by 460 and 220 hectares respectively. Areas in Örebro and Norrbotten County dropped by 60 hectares each.

High yield per hectare for potatoes for starch for fourth year

Potatoes for starch are mainly cultivated in Skåne, Blekinge and Kalmar counties. The yield per hectare is estimated to be 42 950 kilos per hectare which is on the level of the three previous years when high yields per hectare were also attained compared to previous years. The total yield is estimated at 277 200 tonnes, which is on the level with last year's result. Table potatoes that will be delivered for use of starch production are not included here but are presented as table potatoes.

A more detailed report of this survey is published in the Statistical Report JO17 SM 1501 and on the Swedish Board of Agriculture website.

Wildlife damage to crops

Information was collected during 2014 on wildlife damage from all agricultural enterprises that took part in the yield survey. The results were presented in July 2015.

Final results for 2015 will be reported in April of 2016. These yield statistics are normally based on the data from all forms of cultivation that occur in the country. Reports on organic as well as conventional cultivation will be reported in June of 2016.