About

Professional agriculture and commodity trading rely heavily on specific units of mass that bridge the gap between small-scale measurements and bulk logistics. The Metric Centner, also known internationally as the Quintal, represents exactly 100 kg. This unit is standard in many European, former Soviet, and South American markets for reporting crop yields (such as wheat, corn, or barley) per hectare. Confusion often arises due to historical variations of the "hundredweight" in imperial systems, which do not align with the metric definition.

Accuracy in this conversion is critical for financial forecasting and logistics. A miscalculation between a Metric Centner (100 kg) and an Imperial Hundredweight (~50.8 kg) results in significant inventory discrepancies. This tool provides a strict metric conversion, ensuring that farmers, agronomists, and traders interpret yield data correctly without ambiguity.

Formulas

The relationship between the Kilogram and the Metric Centner (Quintal) is linear and defined by the metric system structure. Unlike imperial units which use factors of 112 or 2240, the metric system strictly adheres to powers of 10.

M_q = m_kg100

Where:

M_q is the mass in Metric Centners (Quintals).
m_kg is the mass in Kilograms.
100 is the constant conversion factor.

Reference Data

Metric Value (kg)	Metric Centners (q)	Common Commodity Context
50 kg	0.5 q	Standard cement bag
100 kg	1.0 q	Base definition of Quintal
1,000 kg	10.0 q	One Metric Tonne
2,500 kg	25.0 q	Light truck load capacity
4,000 kg	40.0 q	Average wheat yield per hectare (low)
6,500 kg	65.0 q	High-yield corn per hectare
12,000 kg	120.0 q	Heavy container load
22,000 kg	220.0 q	Standard bulk grain truck
50,000 kg	500.0 q	Rail hopper car capacity
1,000,000 kg	10,000 q	Small grain silo capacity

Frequently Asked Questions

In the metric system, they are identical. "Centner" is the Germanic and Russian term derived from the Latin "centum" (hundred), referring to 100 kg. "Quintal" is the term preferred in France, Spain, and international scientific contexts for the same 100 kg mass.

The Quintal provides a more granular number for agricultural yields. For example, stating a yield as "75 quintals per hectare" is often preferred in agronomy over "7.5 tons per hectare" or "7500 kilograms per hectare" due to historical convention and readability.

No. The US Hundredweight (cwt) is approximately 45.3 kg, and the Imperial Hundredweight is roughly 50.8 kg. This tool is strictly for the Metric Centner (100 kg). Using this tool for US units will result in errors.

Only if you are measuring by mass (weight). If you have volume (liters), you must first convert to mass using the density of the liquid (e.g., density of milk or diesel) before converting to Centners.