Livestock production continues to grow

(Photo: Pixabay)

According to the information available at the time of the forecast, the volume of cereal output fell by 15.7 percent, with significant yield reductions in barley (–29.0 percent) and maize (–18.5 percent) playing a decisive role in the development of output. Over the past 5 years, the best average yield of wheat was produced in 2021, which was 5.9 tons/hectare. Compared to last year’s harvest of 5.9 million tons, 5.3 million tons of crop were harvested in 2024, based on preliminary data, and the average yield was 5.8 tons per hectare. As a result, the wheat harvest was 10.2 percent lower in 2024, according to forecasts. The harvested volume of other cereals changed to different degrees compared to the previous year, based on preliminary data: barley decreased by 29.0 percent, rye decreased by 23.1 percent, and oats increased by 29.8 percent compared to 2023. According to the information available at the time of preparing the report, the sunflower harvest in 2024 decreased by 12.9 percent, while the rapeseed harvest decreased by 31.0 percent compared to the 2023 result. Fruit production (including grapes) decreased overall (–11.8 percent), of which apples decreased by 30.6 percent and pears by 5.0 percent, while peaches increased by 39.0 percent compared to last year, according to preliminary data. Producer prices of agricultural output decreased overall by 4.1 percent, while the producer price of animals decreased by 8.5 percent and that of animal products by 4.5 percent compared to the 2023 level.

The producer price of live animals and animal products decreased by 7.2 percent based on the first estimate

The producer price of cattle increased by 5.3 percent, while the producer price of pigs decreased by 6.3 percent and that of poultry by 14.7 percent. The producer price of milk was 4.3 percent and the price of eggs by 8.9 percent below the previous year’s level. The volume of cattle output decreased by 4 percent, but that of pigs increased by 9 percent, while that of live poultry increased by 7 percent. There was a 4 percent increase in the volume of milk production. According to preliminary calculations, the ratio of output of the two basic activities, crop production and horticulture, and animal husbandry, will be divided in a ratio of 57:43 in 2024, so it has changed slightly compared to the previous year. In 2023, this ratio was 60:40 percent, meaning that in 2024, animal husbandry increased by 3 percentage points and the share of crop production decreased by 3 percentage points.

AKI PÁIR