The DSZ report reads that the higher production was the result of a higher yield per hectare.
Thus, corn was sown on 235,000 hectares, which was by 12,000 less than in 2017, however, the output was by 600,000 tonnes more than in the previous year. As a result, corn output per hectare was 9.1 tonnes as against 6.3 tonnes in 2017.
Last year, potato output increased by 20.6% to 152,000 tonnes. This crop was cultivated on 7,000 hectares, which was by one thousand hectares less than in 2017. However, potato output per hectare was 21.1 tonnes, rising by 4.6 tonnes compared to 2017.
Sugar beet production on decline
On the other hand, according to some estimates, sugar beet output dropped by 40.5% to 771,000 tonnes in 2018 due to the reduction of sugar beet cultivated areas by 5,500 hectares to 14,000 hectares and due to a lower output per hectare, 54.8 tonnes per hectare as against 66.3 tonnes in 2017.