With more winter barley harvested, the national picture has become much more variable.

Moisture levels dropped significantly since the weekend so harvesting is now in full swing in many areas. Yields range from 1.5t/ac to 4.5t/ac but grain quality is good everywhere.

Average grain yields show huge variability, ranging from 4t/ac in parts of the south to 2.75t/ac on farms where drought was a big problem. Where rainfall was adequate for growth, crops have delivered on their potential, or better. But there are some disappointments in the south also.

A spokesman from Dairygold described its harvest as being good so far.

Harvesting only started in east and south Cork this week with early reports described as good

Winter barely is averaging 4.0t/ac to 4.1t/ac within a range of 3.6t/ac to 4.5t/ac. Grain quality is excellent, averaging around 67KPH, even with six-row types.

Dermot and Ted O’Leary in Conna, Co Cork, report that all fields harvested to date yielded between 4.0t/ac and 4.2t/ac, despite winter damage, with moisture ranging from 17% to 24%. Grain quality is slightly lower than last year, but it is still good at 64KPH to 66KPH off the dryer.

Harvesting only started in east and south Cork this week with early reports described as good.

Further north, yields are generally disappointing

The Glanbia catchment is much more variable. Donal Maloney reports that yield in the co-op’s better grain regions are averaging between 3.5t/ac and 4t/ac but lower rainfall areas are back to 3t/ac to 3.5t/ac. Some crops are down to 2.5t/ac and lower. But grain quality is excellent at 66KPH to 67KPH.

Eugene Ryan in Laois told the Irish Farmers Journal that most crops cut in his region are running around 2.75t/ac, with very few passing 3.2t/ac and some down to 2t/ac on very light land.

Further north, yields are generally disappointing with the better crops in the 3t/ac to 3.5t/ac range and an odd one getting up to 4t/ac. But some of the worst-hit crops were down to 1.5t/ac.

Harvesting of oats and oilseed rape has also begun this week.