Between 2014 and 2017, Swedish horticulture yields remained stable overall. There were, however, important developments with specific crops. At the same time, Swedish growers increasingly focus on the use of renewable energy. This is evident from the Swedish Agricultural Council's newest figures. Over three years, the cultivation of spinach and dill dropped by 93 and 52%, respectively. This decrease was primarily due to lower demand from the foodstuffs industry. More acreage kept the apple farming on target, even in 2017 with its unusually low yields. Despite these developments, Swedish growers' total yield has not changed in the last ten years.
In total, there were 1.952 horticultural companies, employing 14.800 people, in 2017. A total of 1.555 farmers grew open field crops on an acreage of 12.807 hectares. The greenhouse area of the 744 glass cultivators was more than 286 hectares. The total acreage did not change between 2014 and 2017. There are now, on average, 6% fewer businesses. This trend was the clearest among the greenhouse farmers. Here, the number of companies decreased by 13%.
Increase in small-leaf lettuce and pumpkin
The most important Swedish crops are strawberries, carrots, apples, onions, and iceberg lettuce. This is based on acreage growth. Other crops such as small-leaved lettuce and pumpkin have shown a marked increase in recent years.
Heat from renewable energy
Over the years, greenhouse cultivation in Sweden has become more and more energy-efficient. Growers are also more focused on renewable energy. This trend continued between 2014 and 2017 while energy efficiency stayed the same.
Source: www.mynewsdesk.com