Cooperative “VAKS”: First grain harvesting results better than last year

The first results of harvesting winter barley, winter rapeseed, and early winter wheat in Latvia indicate better yield and quality than last year, Dace Čāmāne, grain procurement specialist at the cooperative “VAKS”, told LETA.

This year's harvest season began with winter barley, starting a few days later than in the previous year. So far, work has progressed successfully thanks to mostly favorable weather, allowing harvesting without significant interruptions. Čāmāne noted that quality and yield indicators for winter barley vary slightly by region and farm, but overall the first results are encouraging – average yield and quality are better than last season.

The cooperative has also received the first deliveries of winter rapeseed and early winter wheat. Although it is too early to draw conclusions about overall seasonal trends as harvesting is still ramping up, the initial results inspire cautious optimism.

Visually, the crops look good and in many places better than last year. However, Čāmāne emphasized that weather remains critical – recent rains and strong winds have caused lodging in some fields, complicating harvesting and increasing the risk of crop losses.

Rising input costs – fuel, fertilizers, plant protection products – also affect grain growers' financial situation. “VAKS” feels the impact of these cost increases, which affect logistics and primary processing, including drying and storage. The cooperative regularly evaluates energy prices and works to improve efficiency.

It is worth noting that “VAKS” reported a turnover of 119.278 million euros last year, down 9.3% from the previous year, while profit fell 21.4% to 1.541 million euros. The cooperative had 622 members at the end of 2025.