Fewer spring cereals and more potatoes produced
Provisional harvest estimate 2023
According to the provisional harvest estimate published by Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, spring cereal yields have decreased in 2023. Indeed, the production of spring wheat has fallen by 49%, that of spring barley by 58% and that of oats by 22%. The potato harvest was good, with a production increase of 29%.
The poor weather conditions in the spring meant that most spring cereals were sown later, and that fewer were sown. Moreover, the low temperatures also made the growing season slow to start, adding to the growth deficit. During the summer months, the growth was favoured by the many hours of sunshine, but the rain at the end of July came too late for the crops that were harvested in the summer.
Potatoes were also planted later, but there were more than in 2022. The rain at the end of July and the good weather in September were ideal for potato growth, resulting in a big yield increase compared to 2022. A yield increase of 23% combined with the area increase resulted in a production increase of 29% in 2023.
As a result of the good weather conditions in the autumn 2022, more winter cereals were sown. The yield decline was less significant than for spring cereals, resulting in an increased production of these cereals in 2023 compared to 2022. Winter wheat production increased by 7%, winter barley by 16% and triticale by as much as 22%.
Less maize was sown in the spring but the rain in late July and early August and the good weather in September ensured good yields. However, the yield increase was not enough to lead to an increase in production. Finally, the production of grain maize decreased by 6% and that of green maize by 5%.
Sugar beet production increased very slightly by 2% in 2023. Especially the 5.7% increase in area played a role in this.
Agricultural data for 2023
- Provisional harvest oestimate - 2023
Agricultural data for 2022
- Final estimate of the production of agricultural crops - 2022
- Tab A: Agricultural figures 2022 - Full list of variables - Results for Belgium, the Regions, the provinces, the agricultural regions
- Tab B1: Agricultural figures 2022 - Limited list of variables - Results for the arrondissements, the agricultural regions in the provinces
- Tab B2: Agricultural figures 2022 - Limited list of variables - Agricultural figures per municipality
- Tab C: 2022 - Surface area of crops or number of animals and number of holdings according to classes of utilised agricultural area
- Provisional agricultural results May 2022
Agricultural data for 2021
- Final estimate of the production of agricultural crops - 2021
- Tab A: Agricultural figures 2021 - Full list of variables - Results for Belgium, the Regions, the provinces, the agricultural regions
- Tab B1: Agricultural figures 2021 - Limited list of variables - Results for the arrondissements, the agricultural regions in the provinces
- Tab B2: Agricultural figures 2021 - Limited list of variables - Agricultural figures per municipality
- Tab C: 2021 - Surface area of crops or number of animals and number of holdings according to classes of utilised agricultural area
- Provisional agricultural results May 2021
Agricultural data for 2020
- Final estimate of the production of agricultural crops - 2020
- Tab A: Agricultural figures 2020 - Full list of variables - Results for Belgium, the Regions, the provinces, the agricultural regions (phase 2)
- Tab B1: Agricultural figures 2020 - Limited list of variables - Results for the arrondissements, the agricultural regions in the provinces
- Tab B2: Agricultural figures 2020 - Limited list of variables - Agricultural figures per municipality
- Tab C: 2020 - Surface area of crops or number of animals and number of holdings according to classes of utilised agricultural area
- Provisional agricultural results May 2020
Agricultural data for 2019
- Final estimate of the production of agricultural crops - 2019
- Tab A: Agricultural figures 2019 - Full list of variables - Results for Belgium, the Regions, the provinces, the agricultural regions
- Tab B1: Agricultural figures 2019 - Limited list of variables - Results for the arrondissements, the agricultural regions in the provinces
- Tab B2: Agricultural figures 2019 - Limited list of variables - Agricultural figures per municipality
- Tab C: 2019 - Surface area of crops or number of animals and number of holdings according to classes of utilised agricultural area
- Provisional agricultural results May 2019
Agricultural data for 2018
- Final Estimate of the production of agricultural crops - 2018
- Tab A: Agricultural figures 2018 - Full list of variables - Results for Belgium, the Regions, the provinces, the agricultural regions
- Tab B1: Agricultural figures 2018 - Limited list of variables - Results for the arrondissements, the agricultural regions in the provinces
- Tab B2: Agricultural figures 2018 - Limited list of variables - Agricultural figures per municipality
- Tab C: 2018 - Surface area of crops or number of animals and number of holdings according to classes of utilised agricultural area
Survey on certain species of fruit trees 2017
Agricultural data for 2017
- Final estimate of the production of agricultural crops – 2017
- Tab A: Agricultural figures 2017 - Full list of variables - Results for Belgium, the Regions, the provinces, the agricultural regions
- Tab B1: Agricultural figures 2017 - Limited list of variables - Results for the arrondissements, the agricultural regions in the provinces
- Tab B2: Agricultural figures 2017 - Limited list of variables - Agricultural figures per municipality
- Tab C: 2017 - Surface area of crops or number of animals and number of holdings according to classes of utilised agricultural area
Agricultural data for 2016
- Final estimate of the production of agricultural crops – 2016
- Tab A: Agricultural figures 2016 - Full list of variables - Results for Belgium, the Regions, the provinces, the agricultural regions
- Tab B1: Agricultural figures 2016 - Limited list of variables - Results for the arrondissements, the agricultural regions in the provinces
- Tab B2: Agricultural figures 2016 - Limited list of variables - Agricultural figures per municipality
- Tab C: 2016 - Surface area of crops or number of animals and number of holdings according to classes of utilised agricultural area
Agricultural data for 2015
- Tab A: Agricultural figures 2015 - Full list of variables - Results for Belgium, the Regions, the provinces, the agricultural regions
- Tab B1: Agricultural figures 2015 - Limited list of variables - Results for the arrondissements, the agricultural regions in the provinces
- Tab B2: Agricultural figures 2015 - Limited list of variables - Agricultural figures per municipality
- Tab C: 2015 - Surface area of crops or number of animals and number of holdings according to classes of utilised agricultural area
Remarks:
The number of holdings in Belgium that produce for sales has increased by 0.7 %. This is due to more flexibility on the definition of active farmers in 2018, on the one hand, and to a further refinement of Statbel's agricultural register, on the other hand. This results in an increase of the agricultural area and in the number of bovine animals and pigs.
The large increase of the surface area for mixes of leguminous plants in Wallonia is due to the distinction made as of 2018 between mixes of cereals and leguminous plants, on the one hand (classified under other cereals) and mixes of leguminous plants and cereals, on the other hand (classified under mixes of leguminous plants). Until 2017, this division did not exist. The whole surface area was classified under other cereals. This also results in a decrease of the surface area for other cereals in Wallonia.
In 2018, there was a break in the trend for poultry. We can see a large increase. This is because until 2017, holdings did not have to report any poultry when farming was suspended for health reasons. They had to report the number of animals present on 15 October. If the poultry house was empty on that day, they had no animals. From 2018 onwards, holdings with empty poultry houses for health reasons (cleaning or disease outbreak) have to report the number of animals that were present before farming was suspended.
Remarks:
The number of holdings in Belgium that produce for sales has increased by 0.7 %. This is due to more flexibility on the definition of active farmers in 2018, on the one hand, and to a further refinement of Statbel's agricultural register, on the other hand. This results in an increase of the agricultural area and in the number of bovine animals and pigs.
The large increase of the surface area for mixes of leguminous plants in Wallonia is due to the distinction made as of 2018 between mixes of cereals and leguminous plants, on the one hand (classified under other cereals) and mixes of leguminous plants and cereals, on the other hand (classified under mixes of leguminous plants). Until 2017, this division did not exist. The whole surface area was classified under other cereals. This also results in a decrease of the surface area for other cereals in Wallonia.
In 2018, there was a break in the trend for poultry. We can see a large increase. This is because until 2017, holdings did not have to report any poultry when farming was suspended for health reasons. They had to report the number of animals present on 15 October. If the poultry house was empty on that day, they had no animals. From 2018 onwards, holdings with empty poultry houses for health reasons (cleaning or disease outbreak) have to report the number of animals that were present before farming was suspended.