As the UK combinable crops harvest entered its sixth week, 66 percent of the crop area had been harvested, according to HGCA.

After unsettled weather slowed progress in recent weeks, HGCA reported that good progress was made over the week from 13^th to 19^th August. In its latest update, released on Friday, the levy-funded cereals authority revealed that the winter barley harvest is complete across all regions and the winter oilseed rape harvest is nearing completion, with only a few fields awaiting harvest in Scotland.

Although periods of heavy rain affected some regions this past week, the overall picture was much better than last week, with temperatures and rainfall both within the average range for the season. The dry weather meant harvest activity could continue at a good pace, allowing growers to make up for time lost last week –more than twice the area was harvested in the week to the 19^th compared to the previous week.

Harvest is now 66 percent complete, with yields above average for most crops and data suggesting quality is also quite good. HGCA said newly harvested crops had acceptable specific weights and high Hagberg Falling Numbers despite recent heavy rains – concerns had been expressed about the potential of the wet weather to damage quality.

The wheat harvest is 55 percent complete, with average yields of 8.2-8.5 tonnes per hectare, though protein is lower than ideal for milling wheats. Even so, current yield data is comfortably higher than the ten year average of 7.7t/ha and could well break the record of 8.3t/ha set in 2008.

Although harvest progress remains ahead of the curve – sitting comfortably above the five year average in light of the headway made this week – it is still not the fastest recent harvest, when 70 percent was complete by week six.

More information on a range of crops is available from HGCA here