World Grain - February 2018 - 20

COUNTRY FOCUS

Focus on Sweden
Country has a concentrated grain processing sector
with a high level of vertical integration
by Chris Lyddon

Sweden is the third largest country in the European Union (E.U.),
stretching to above the Arctic Circle. Its population and its agriculture
are focused further south. It has a concentrated grain processing sector
with a high level of vertical integration between milling and baking and
processing.
The International Grains Council (IGC) forecasts Sweden's total grains
production in 2017-18 at 5.7 million tonnes, up from 5.4 million the year
before. Wheat production is put at 3.1 million tonnes, up from 2.8 million. The barley crop is forecast at 1.7 million tonnes, up from 1.5 million.
Output of oats is put at 600,000 tonnes, down from 800,000.
In its interim report for January-August 2017, the co-operative Lantmännen, a major player in the Swedish grains sector, described the harYHVWDV³RIJRRGTXDOLW\LQWHUPVRIIDOOLQJQXPEHUDQGVSHFL¿FZHLJKW
and both wheat and malting barley show good protein content. More negative quality factors are a dark color on late-harvested oats and some skin
damage to malting barley."
According to the European grain sector body COCERAL, Sweden's
total 2017 grains production was 5.941 million tonnes from 993,000 hectares, compared with 5.428 million in 2016 from 1.001 million hectares.
The 2017 crop of soft wheat was 3.292 million tonnes, from 471,000
hectares, compared with 2.803 million the year before,
from 447,000 hectares. Barley production in 2017
was 1.676 million tonnes, from 311,000 hectares, up
from 1.533 million from 320,000 the year before. Of
the barley total, spring barley accounted for, in 2017,
SWEDEN
1.551 million tonnes from 292,000 hectares, and, in
2016, 1.424 million tonnes from 301,000 tonnes.
COCERAL put Sweden's rye production at 150,000
tonnes from 22,000 hectares in 2017, up from 105,000
tonnes from 17,000 hectares in 2016. The crop of oats
was 626,000 tonnes in 2017, from 150,000 hectares,
down from 774,000 tonnes in 2016 from 174,000 hectares.
Sweden also produced 53,000 tonnes of sorghum from 14,000
hectares in 2017, up from 45,000 tonnes in 2016, from 13,000
hectares. Sweden's 2017 triticale production is put at 145,000
tonnes from 25,000 hectares, down from 168,000 tonnes from 30,000
hectares in 2016.
In oilseeds, according to COCERAL's estimates, Sweden produced
383,000 tonnes of rapeseed in 2017, from 112,000 hectares, compared
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RUSSIA

FINLAND

NORWAY

ESTONIA

LATVIA

Key Facts
Capital: Stockholm
Population: 9,960,487 (July 2017 est.)
Religions: Church of Sweden (Lutheran)
63%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist)
17% (2016 est.).
Location: Northern Europe, bordering the
Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and
Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway.
Government: Parliamentary constitutional
monarchy. Chief of state: King Carl XVI Gustaf (since Sept. 19, 1973); head of government: Prime Minister Stefan Lofven (since
Oct. 3, 2014).
Economy: Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living with its combination
of free-market capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. Sweden remains outside the
euro zone largely out of concern that joining
the European Economic and Monetary Union
would diminish the country's sovereignty
over its welfare system. Timber, hydropower,
and iron ore constitute the resource base of
an economy heavily oriented toward foreign
trade. Sweden's economy experienced modest growth in 2014-16, with real GDP growth
above 2%, but continues to struggle with deflationary pressure.
GDP per capita: $51,300 (2017 est.); inflation: 1.6% (2017 est.); unemployment: 6.6%
(2017 est.).
Currency: Swedish kronor (SEK): 8.02 kronors equal 1 U.S. dollar (Jan. 22, 2018).
Exports: $169.7 billion (2017 est.): machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products,
chemicals (2012 est.).
Imports: $154.8 billion (2017 est.): machinery, petroleum and petroleum products,
chemicals, motor vehicles, iron and steel;
foodstuffs, clothing.
Agriculture: 1.6% of GDP and 2% of the
labor force.
Internet: Code: .se; 9,041,427 users.
Source: CIA World Factbook

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World Grain - February 2018

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