Winter

Finland: the oat superpower (with winter on our side)

Finland isn’t just the land of a thousand lakes and endless saunas — it’s also a world champion in oats. In fact, Finland produces about 14% of all oats grown in Europe. That’s a pretty impressive oat-print for a country better known for snowbanks and summer cottages.

And 2025? Let’s just say Finnish oats were feeling confident. Exports accelerated, and Germany became the biggest destination for Finnish oats, accounting for nearly half of total oat exports (out of roughly 570 million kilos exported). Maybe the secret to German engineering is simply a proper Finnish breakfast — we’re not saying it is, but we’re not not saying it either.

The plot twist: winter is actually helpful

Here’s something many people don’t expect: a long, cold winter can be good news for farming. According to Ruokatieto (Finfood – Finnish Food Information), hard frosts reduce the vitality and amount of many plant diseases and pests, which helps keep the need for plant protection products low — and also lowers the risk of pesticide residues in food.

Even the soil gets a winter upgrade. Finland’s freezing conditions create routa (frost in the ground), which “works” the soil naturally: it supports water availability for plants and helps prevent soil compaction, especially in clay soils. Winter also helps with practical post-harvest life: cooling grain stores takes less energy when the outside air is already doing the chilling.

So yes — winter may be tough on your eyelashes, but it can be surprisingly kind to oats.

How great oats are grown (hint: it’s not just vibes)

Finnish oat quality is a mix of nature and know-how. Yara Finland (https://www.yara.fi/lannoitus/kaura/kauran-viljely/) notes that oats can be grown on many soil types, but on mineral soils grain size and grain weight tend to be bigger, and the husk can be thinner than on organic soils. On organic soils, nitrogen released during the season can increase the risk of lodging (when the crop falls over), which is why management choices matter.

Then there’s the small detail that makes a big difference: sowing depth. If the seed goes too deep, it may tiller less, leading to a thinner stand.

Nutrition is another key. Yara describes how, at sowing, oats are typically given nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients, and fertilisation can be topped up during the season. Timing matters too: nitrogen added at stem elongation tends to lift yield, while nitrogen closer to the panicle stage can increase protein. (Translation: oats are a bit like us — they perform better when they’re properly fed at the right time.)

Bonus: oats that multitask

Finnish oats don’t stop at breakfast and oat lattes. They’re also turning up in cosmetics (hello, farm-to-face). And even the leftovers can shine: oat husk pellets can be used as cat litter — so even the felines get in on the Finnish oat lifestyle.