Production of the majority of important crops in Croatia fell at double-digit rates in 2022, with production of grain maize dropping by 26.1% and sugar beet by 25.9%, while sunflower production increased by 24.2%, the Croatian state statistics bureau (DZS) reported on Tuesday.

Grain maize (both mercantile and seed) was sown on 271,000 hectares, 17,000 less than in 2021, and 1.66 million tonnes were produced, nearly 600,000 less. Yield was 6.1 tonnes per hectare, compared with 7.8 tonnes in 2021.

Sugar beet was sown on 9,000 hectares, 1,000 hectares less than in 2021, and 524,000 tonnes were produced, 183,000 tonnes less. Yield was 58.2 tonnes per hectare, while the previous year it was 70.2 tonnes.

Production of rapeseed decreased by 19.2%, oats by 18.6%, potatoes by 16.4%, soybeans by 14.0% and silage maize by 11.5%.

Rapeseed was sown on 23,000 hectares, 7,000 hectares less than in 2021, and 59,000 tonnes were produced, 14,000 tonnes less. Oats production declined by 11,000 tonnes to 48,000 and potato production by 21,000 tonnes to 107,000.

Soybean production declined by 32,000 tonnes to 196,000, and silage maize production by 100,000 tonnes to 773,000. Soybean was sown on 6,000 hectares more and silage maize on 4,000 hectares more than in 2021. Last year, silage maize yield was 26.7 tonnes per hectare, compared with 34.7 tonnes in the previous year.

On the other hand, sunflower production rose by 24.2% to 154,000 tonnes. Sunflower was sown on 51,000 hectares, 10,000 more than in 2021.

Wheat production increased by 0.8% to 970,000 tonnes. Wheat was sown on 161,000 hectares, 17,000 hectares more than in 2021, and yield was 6 tonnes per hectare, down from 6.7 tonnes in the previous year.

Barley production went up by 4.2% to 319,000 tonnes and lucerne (hay) production by 2.8% to 185,000 tonnes.