Crop report 2018 January - April (Saaz area)

1. Basic weather conditions datas

temperature °C

rainfalls mm

Comparison of basic data of temperatures and rainfalls show large differences between individual months.

While the January was characterized as the warmest in the past few years, the temperature was higher by 5,4°C compared to the long-term average.

February was colder and almost without rainfalls, only 4,0 mm, which is only 21% of the 30-year average.

In March were temperatures slightly below average and rainfalls were above average by 12,6 mm (+ 54,8%).

April was characterized as very warm and dry. Temperatures often moved above 20°C and several times exceeded 25°C, which greatly accelerated the growth of vegetation.

2. Spring works and vegetation stage

The spring work started in a moderate advance thanks to favorable weather in the hop gardens.

The cutting of hops of the hybrid varieties Sladek, Premiant and Agnus began at the end of March.

The cut of the main variety of Saaz started in the first decade of April.

Due to the warm weather hops accelerated growth during the month of April.

So it became common, that the works, as the cutting of hops, stringing of hop and training of hop vine into the wire in the hop gardens were took place simultaneously. This situation resulted in a shortage of seasonal workers. The training of hybrids hops varieties began in the third decade of April. The training of main hops variety Saaz will began already at the beginning of May.

The state of vegetations are about 2 weeks ahead of normal years.

Chemical protection of hops was conducted against fungal diseases and pests.

3. Overview of acreage in the Czech Republic by 30.04.2018 (source ÚKZÚZ Saaz)

Compared to 2017, there was increase in the surface of 81 ha, of which 31 ha Saaz variety