Planted area of ​​corn at the lowest level in five years – publico

                 

                         
                     

                 

 
                         

The sown area of ​​maize in Portugal fell in the current year to the lowest level in the past five years, reflect the fact that the value of the raw material to be close to historic lows and that farmers have chosen to make diversification from culture to ensure access to community support.

                     

                         The data released on Thursday by the National Statistics Institute (INE) point to a maize area that reaches 87,000 hectares, a drop of about 11 000 hectares compared to 2014 and 15 hectares in thier average of the last five years. The area sown to dryland corn does not reach 10 thousand hectares and the irrigated maize one is by 88 thousand hectares.

Many farmers have chosen this year for not sowing of grain corn because the price of raw raw in international markets remains at very low levels, close to $ 170 per ton -. that is, nearly half of the value that the product was sold in mid-2012

But there are also many farms decided carry out a diversification of culture to ensure access of its assets to Community agricultural aid that are related to environmental protection. The so-called greening requires crop rotation so that the land can rest and recover optimal levels of nutrients.

The low price paid to producers is also the source of a reduction in the acreage of irrigated potatoes, which should be this year below 20 000 tonnes, the same 2012 record.

different frame is living the tomato sector to industry, which is expected to reach this year the largest area planted in 30 years. The contracted amounts between producers and their organizations and the tomateira industry point to an overall area of ​​19 thousand hectares, which represents an increase of about 10% compared to 2014.

The INE points out that ” flowering was abundant and the fruits of fruit set ran smoothly, “but warns that the dry and hot weather, while decreasing the pressure of some fungal diseases on the crop, favors the development of most pests.

For the icing, the INE estimates that the yield per hectare may rise significantly compared to 2014 (about 60%). The crop benefited from very favorable weather conditions during the month of May with strong wind helped weeding avenged the fruit. – In excessive quantities, which could undermine crop quality

With regard to peach , productivity is expected to grow to a record high of 12 tons per hectare, and the unit must meet income increased by 5% compared to last season.

The year will also be the election in the autumn of cereals / Winter, with productivity rising to 2150 kilograms per hectare with regard to common wheat and 2450 kilos of durum wheat. These figures represent an increase of about 5% compared to 2014 and 40% from the average of the past five years, advances the INE.

The fatted should also know productivity increases close to 5% compared to 2014 and 47% on the average of the past five years, while in oats 890 kg per hectare should be in line with what had happened in the previous season.