While the eastern half of the country has availed of weather windows to make substantial progress with the harvest, tillage areas along the western seaboard have had fewer opportunities. Incessant rainfall over the month of August meant that many areas along the west had just three to four days suitable for harvesting. Growers from parts of Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Galway, Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo, Donegal and Derry have made little progress over the month.
While the eastern half of the country has availed of weather windows to make substantial progress with the harvest, tillage areas along the western seaboard have had fewer opportunities.
Incessant rainfall over the month of August meant that many areas along the west had just three to four days suitable for harvesting. Growers from parts of Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Galway, Roscommon, Mayo, Sligo, Donegal and Derry have made little progress over the month.
Rainfall totals for August in these counties have ranged from 140mm to 286mm.
Despite some respite last weekend, ground conditions have deteriorated substantially and growers are now unable to get on to land without causing damage.
Harvest progress
Talking to growers in these areas, the spring barley harvest would appear to be around 50% complete.
However, this varies considerably depending on the region.
For example, around 10% of the spring barley area in Donegal is harvested, while around 40% is harvested in Galway.
There are still some pockets of winter wheat remaining in these areas, but most of the other winter cereals are harvested.
Gathering straw is proving to be an issue with many pockets of winter cereal straw (barley, oats and wheat) still remaining to be baled.
Some progress has been made with baling spring straw, but many growers opted to chop a portion of this year’s crops due to both weather and market demand.
Yields are reported to be very good, with spring barley ranging from 2.75t/ac to 4t/ac.
However, harvest moistures in these crops are reported to be variable, between 17% and 27%.
There has also been substantial lodging in some spring crops, with many reports of sprouting in both standing and lodged crops.
Flooding
Flooding has been reported in many western counties due to torrential rain over the weekend. A status yellow and orange rain warning had been in place for many of these areas.
Pictured below is a crop of spring barley in Co Donegal visited by the Irish Farmers Journal this weekend.
A nearby river overflowed as a result of over 40mm of rain falling in a 24-hour period.
At the time of taking the pictures, the water levels had risen to just below the level of the barley heads, around 60cm.
This crop was fit for harvesting one week ago, but lack of harvest opportunities prevented work from taking place.
Take a look at the photos below
A nearby river overflowed into this field of spring barley.
A nearby river overflowed into this field of spring barley.
Water levels are just below the head of the barley.
Water levels are just below the head of the barley.
The crop has been fit for harvesting.
The crop has been fit for harvesting.
Read more
Options for coping with straw in a wet year
Weekend weather: sunshine and showers
Persistent rain warning issued
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