Seed Association: sufficient, high-quality seed awaits sowing

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According to data from the National Chamber of Agriculture (NAK), last year farmers sowed winter wheat on 976 thousand hectares, winter barley on 275 thousand hectares, and triticale on 72 thousand hectares. Winter wheat has thus overtaken corn as the number one arable crop in Hungary. According to the association, farmers may continue to move away from corn in the future. Part of the main feed crop, corn, may be replaced by alternative crops such as sorghum or barley, which is highly digestible and has a high protein content and is perfectly suited for cattle feed. Summarizing the most important experiences of the 2024/25 seed production season, the association highlighted: similarly to last year, there was once again a large difference between the most important wheat-growing areas of Transdanubia and the Great Plain in terms of rainfall from sowing to almost harvesting.

The expected average yield of winter wheat for seed purposes is expected to be in the range of 6.5-7.0 tons per hectare

The national average yield of winter barley, which is in the range of 6.8-7.2 tons, certainly exceeds the average yield of winter wheat. In the case of triticale, the average yield per hectare is expected to be around 6 tons. There were no fungal diseases to be expected this year, but more intensive protection against pests was required, the association added. They also pointed out that the size of the winter barley propagation area has decreased slightly this year compared to last year, but the demand for metal-sealed seeds can still be safely met. The expected stocks of winter wheat, winter barley and triticale seeds provide a professionally acceptable renewal opportunity of over 45 percent. The amount of old stocks is minimal, slightly exceeding the previous year, but does not have a significant impact on the new crop stocks.

The announcement also mentions that cereal crop prices show a significant 13-15 percent increase compared to the previous year, and will continue to rise slightly

There is no significant difference between the feed and milling categories. There was a 13-15 percent increase in production costs compared to the previous year, which is also reflected in crop sales prices. Despite the high level of seed production costs, it can be predicted that the end-user prices of metal-sealed seeds will increase slightly, not reaching the rate of crop price growth. The Seed Association Interprofessional Organization and Product Council published an indicative price of HUF 171,000 + VAT per ton for autumn cereal seeds this year, which is understood to be in a bag, treated with fungicide, metal-sealed, and loaded onto a truck at the seller’s premises – the association explained, adding that this is not a fixed price and is not a binding or recommended price.

MTI