According to the advance information of Tike (the Information Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry), the area sown to cereals decreased sharply, while the area under rape and turnip rape increased.

The area sown to cereals declined by 32,000 hectares compared to 2008, whereas a year earlier it grew by 86,000 hectares. In percentage terms, however, this decrease amounted to only a few per cent. Slightly over half of the utilised agricultural area was sown to cereals, 1,219,000 hectares. In addition to cereals, grasslands under five years also decreased, down about 22,000 hectares.

The greatest change was seen in the areas sown to winter wheat and rye, which decreased by a quarter in the case of winter wheat and about a third in the case of rye. The area under mixed grain and other cereals grew, while spring wheat was on a par with the previous year. Barley remained the most common cultivated cereal, accounting for half of the area sown to cereals.

New nature management fields
The areas of managed uncultivated arable land and fallow land in particular swung to growth again, balancing out the decline in cereals and grasslands under five years. In the spring, a new type of subsidy was introduced for nature management fields. These fields are included under managed uncultivated arable land. Advance information indicates that fallow and managed uncultivated arable land grew by a total of about 35,000 hectares.

The area sown to other crops increased by a total of about 19,000 hectares. Rape and turnip rape saw particularly strong growth, up approximately 15,000 hectares. The area under sugar beets and peas also increased on the previous year.

Information based on subsidy applications
The advance information on Tike’s statistics on the utilised agricultural area is based on the data provided by farmers in their subsidy application forms submitted by 30 April 2009. The results are based on the situation as entered on 8 June, when about 96% of the data on agricultural parcels had been recorded. In the advance information, it is assumed that the utilised agricultural area in 2009 is as large as it was last year, if the recorded area does not exceed the figure for the previous year. Farmers may send in information about changes to their sown areas up to 15 June.

Tike will publish advance information based on more extensive data on the utilised agricultural area in its Matilda information service (www.matilda.fi) on 23 June. Regional data will also be available at that time.

For additional information
Actuary Irene Mustalahti, tel. +358 20 77 21340
Researcher Mirva Kokkinen, tel. +358 20 77 21371
E-mail addresses are in the format forename.surname@mmmtike.fi