Farmers grew cereals on 2.3m hectares of land in 2009, almost unchanged from 2008. Wheat was grown on 1.14m hectares and maize was grown on 1.18m hectares. The wheat harvest fell 21.9pc to 4.4m tonnes, and the maize crop dropped 15.2pc to 7.5m tonnes. Average yield was 3,850 kilogrammes per hectare for wheat and 6,400 kilogrammes per hectare for maize Farmers harvested 692,000 tonnes of sugar beet, down 20.1pc from 2008. Average yield was 52,350 kilogrammes per hectare. The sunflower seed harvest fell 14pc to 1.3m tonnes. Average yield was 2,350 kilogrammes per hectare. About 581,000 tonnes of rapeseed were harvested, down 11pc. Average yield declined 16pc to 2,220 kilogrammes per hectare. The potato harvest slipped 21pc to 541,000 tonnes. Average yield was down 10pc at 24,330 kilogrammes per hectare. The alfalfa harvest dropped 21pc to 611,000 tonnes. Average yield dipped 9pc to 4,870 kilogrammes per hectare.