LLKC: weather conditions mostly favorable for this year's grain harvest
An LLKC specialist says this year's grain harvest is progressing well with better grain quality than last year, though results vary by region, with Kurzeme faring worst.
Andris Skudra, a crop production consultant at the Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre (LLKC), told the LETA news agency that weather conditions have mostly been favorable for this year's grain harvest. Fields intended for winter rapeseed sowing have largely been harvested already, with sowing having begun this week and expected to continue until the end of August. Harvesting of spring barley and spring wheat is expected to start in the coming days.
Skudra said that sunny weather last week allowed a large share of winter wheat to be harvested, though rain in recent days has again slightly slowed the work. Overall, this year's harvest is progressing well.
Grain quality better than last year
Optimal moisture and warmth allowed plants to absorb nutrients well, resulting in noticeably coarser grain than last year, when unfavorable climatic conditions hindered plant development. Protein and gluten content have also improved, along with bulk density, which averages 750–800 grams per liter this year compared with about 680 grams per liter last year. Skudra said it is still too early to assess the impact of recent heavy rain on harvest quality, but if harvesting continues as forecast, the rain is unlikely to have a significant negative effect.
Regional differences
The worst situation this year is in Kurzeme, where a spring drought hampered nutrient uptake by crops, and in Northern Kurzeme intense July rainfall flooded fields and washed out roads, resulting in lower yields there. Zemgale and Vidzeme are performing well, while Latgale's yields are somewhat lower, an area Skudra attributed to greater weed presence and lower use of mineral fertilizer due to its high cost.
In July, LLKC forecast average yields of 4.6 tonnes per hectare for winter wheat, 4.2 for rye, 3.9 for triticale, 4.3 for winter barley, 2.3 for winter rapeseed, and 27 for potatoes, though figures vary by region. LLKC has operated since 1991 and is Latvia's largest rural advisory service provider.
