UK harvest concludes with disappointing wheat and barley yields

The UK harvest is nearing completion, with only small amounts of crops remaining in Scotland and Northern Ireland. According to the AHDB Harvest Report, overall yields have been disappointing due to extreme temperatures and limited rainfall since spring.

Winter wheat yields were recorded at 6.9 tonnes per hectare, which is 11% below the five-year average. This shortfall is exacerbated by Defra data indicating that the English wheat area is 74,000 hectares smaller than previously implied, potentially reducing the wheat balance sheet by over half a million tonnes. Additionally, total arable acres have decreased by more than 7% compared to the five-year average, while maize area has reached a record 272,000 hectares.

Spring barley yields were also poor, falling 17% below the five-year average, though slightly higher yields in Scotland and Northern England improved the overall average. In contrast, winter oilseed rape performed well, with yields 19% above the five-year average.