Crop reports in

TALLINN - The number of dairy cows did not change significantly in 2010 compared to the previous year, though milk production per cow increased substantially, show preliminary data released by Statistics Estonia, reports news agency LETA. Although the number of dairy cows has decreased since the ‘90s, the falling trend has decelerated during the last decade. At the same time, the average milk production per cow has increased every year during the last eight years.

On Dec. 31, 2010, the number of cattle in Estonia totaled 236,200 (of which 95,700 were dairy cows); there were 373,000 pigs, and 85,000 sheep and goats. Compared to the previous year, the number of cattle (including dairy cows) did not change significantly. At the same time, the number of pigs increased by 2 percent; the number of sheep and goats by 6 percent.
In 2010, the agricultural producers of Estonia produced 675,700 tons of milk and 184.5 million eggs. The slaughter of livestock and poultry, or those sold for slaughter to meat processing enterprises, totaled 110,400 tons (live weight). Compared to the previous year, milk production remained at the same level, egg production increased by 6 percent and meat production (live weight) decreased by 2 percent.

In 2010, the average milk production per cow was 6,977 kilograms, i.e. 139 kilograms more than in 2009.
The livestock purchased by meat processing enterprises produced 8,600 tons of beef and 29,200 tons of pork. In 2009, the corresponding indicators were 9,100 tons and 28,100 tons.
Milk processing enterprises purchased 603,900 tons of milk; in 2009 it was 612,300 tons. The price for a ton of purchased milk was 277 euros; in 2009 it was 210 euros.

Cereal production was 670,000 tons in 2010, which was 23 percent less than in the previous year. Of the total cereal production, 25,100 tons of rye, 324,400 tons of wheat and 252,500 tons of barley were produced. Compared to the previous year, the production of rye, wheat and barley decreased. The sown area of cereals comprised 275,100 hectares; the average yield per hectare was 2,435 kilograms of cereals, of which 1,993 kilograms were of rye, 2,712 kilograms of wheat and 2,413 kilograms of barley.

The yield of rape and turnip rapeseed was 129,600 tons, which was 5 percent less than in 2009. In 2010, rape and turnip rape were sown on 98,000 hectares. The average yield was 1,322 kilograms of rape and turnip rapeseed per hectare.
The production of potatoes amounted to 153,700 tons, which was 10 percent more compared to the year earlier. In 2010, potatoes were sown on 9,100 hectares. The average yield of potatoes was 16,966 kilograms per hectare.
In autumn of 2010, 60,500 hectares of winter wheat, 11,900 hectares of rye and 6,900 hectares of triticale were sown for harvesting in 2011.