As the harvest progresses everywhere but in the east midlands, where rains and thunderstorms have halted harvesting, HGCA has published the latest information on UK yields. 

Tony Ireland, an arable farmer from Lincolnshire, told BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today this morning that, if the weather on his farm becomes any wetter his wheat will be in danger of sprouting.

Although HGCA acknowledges that yields are variable around the UK, making for a degree of uncertainty over average yields, early indications for oilseed rape are promising, putting estimates at 5.47 tonnes/ha compared with the five year average of 4.93 tonnes/ha.

The first trial winter barley harvested in Lincolnshire averaged just 5.4 tonnes/ha, however, barley from trial sites harvested later last week revealed more impressive results, with one site from the Scottish Borders yielding 9.5 tonnes/ha. Such variability brings the overall average to 7.65 tonnes/ha, which the HGCA has described as “respectable.”

Commenting on the effect of the damp weather on the progress of this year’s harvest HGCA said, “After a slow start due to unsettled weather and slow crop ripening, harvesting of winter barley and winter oilseed rape in the southern and central regions of England is now well underway.

“Despite relatively low rainfall during the last week, regular light showers and cool temperatures restricted harvest to only 2-3 days in eastern regions and up to 5 days further west, with only 4-8 hours of harvesting each day due to slow drying of the crops in the field.”

Harvested moisture contents of winter barley so far range from 14-17% and oilseed rape from 6-12%, with those crops harvested most recently needing little if any drying. Overall, the average winter barley yields are currently expected to be 10% below the 5 year average, with winter oilseed rape around 10% above.