Latvia harvests record amount of grain in 2015

Latvian farmers harvested three million tons of grain last year, which is the highest amount ever recorded in Latvia, according to preliminary data released on Thursday by the national statistics office.

The previous grain yield record, set in 2014, was beaten last year as the farmers reported a new record harvest for 2015, the statistics office said. Compared to 2014, the annual grain yield increased by 794,300 tons, or 35.7 percent.

The significant increase in Latvia's total grain yield was achieved not only thanks to the expansion of farmlands under grain crops by 17,200 hectares or 2.6 percent from 2014, but also a considerable increase in average yield per hectare, experts said.

As a result of technologically upgraded crop growing methods, selection of more productive and better grain varieties, as well as highly favorable weather conditions, the average yield of cereals increased from 34.0 quintals in 2014 to 44.9 quintals in 2015, which was the highest yield recorded in Latvia yet.

Latvian grain exports also increased significantly last year, with the exports of wheat and meslin growing by 416,000 tons, or 30.2 percent from 2014, to 1.792 million tons in 2015. Endit