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Potato harvest 2019. Preliminary statistics

Table potato yield 18 percent higher than last year

Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2019-12-06 9.30

The 2019 yield per hectare is estimated at 33 050 kilos per hectare, which is 18 percent more than in 2018, when a summer drought led to crop failure. The total harvest of table potatoes is 3 percent higher than the last five-year average.

The total Swedish harvest of table potatoes is estimated at 538 200 tonnes in 2019. This is an increase of 89 100 tonnes, which corresponds to 20 percent, compared with 2018, and 17 300 tonnes (3 percent) more than the last five-year average. Roughly 65 000 tonnes harvested as early potatoes are included in the total harvest.

Four counties dominate the cultivation of table potatoes: Skåne, Halland, Västra Götaland, and Östergötland. Together, they account for 78 percent of Sweden’s total table potato harvest.

Total harvest in Gotland County, Västra Götaland County, and Örebro County was 36 percent, 35 percent, and 32 percent, respectively, higher than last year. In Skåne County, Halland County, Dalarna County, and Östergötland County, total harvest was 17 percent, 16 percent, 15 percent, and 13 percent, respectively, higher than last year. In other counties with reported results, Västerbotten County and Norrbotten County, the difference in harvest compared with the previous year are within the margin of error.

The crop area for table potatoes, which is used for calculating the total harvest, amounted to 16 280 hectares in 2019. This area increased by 290 hectares compared with the previous year.

Total harvest of starch potatoes is 6 percent higher than the last five-year average

The total harvest of starch potatoes is estimated at 309 500 tonnes, which is 13 percent higher than in 2018 and 6 percent higher the last five-year average. The statistics include the production of starch potato for seed. Table potatoes that will be delivered for use in starch production are not included here, and are reported as table potatoes.

The cultivated area with starch potatoes decreased by 550 hectares, and amounted to 7 370 hectares in 2019. Starch potatoes are cultivated mainly in Skåne County, Blekinge County, and Kalmar County. 

Table potatoes. Total harvests, 2010–2019
Potato harvest 2019. Preliminary statistics

Potatoes for starch. Total harvests, 2010–2019
Potato harvest 2019. Preliminary statistics

Note that the graphs use different scales.

Publication

A more detailed report of this survey is published in the
Statistical Report JO 17 SM 1901, which is available on the Statistics Sweden website at www.scb.se under Agriculture, forestry and fishery and on the Swedish Board of Agriculture website at www.jordbruksverket.se under Statistics.

Next publishing will be

Final results for 2019 will be reported in April 2020. These yield statistics are based on data from all forms of cultivation that occur in the country. Yield statistics for organic and conventional cultivation will be reported in June 2020.

Statistical Database

More information is available in the Statistical Database

Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.

Statistical agency

Swedish Board of Agriculture

Telephone
+46 36 15 50 00
E-mail
statistik@jordbruksverket.se

Enquiries

Ann-Marie Karlsson

Telephone
+46 36 15 59 33
E-mail
ann-marie.karlsson@jordbruksverket.se

Producer

SCB, Agriculture and Energy Statistics Unit

Address
701 89 Örebro

Enquiries

Gunnel Wahlstedt

Telephone
+46 10 479 62 45
E-mail
gunnel.wahlstedt@scb.se