The 2023-2024 growing season has been one of the most difficult in many farmers’ memories.
With many crops cut, we are now heading into the busiest harvest period.
Rain in the last few days is not helping with progress, as spring barley crops turn ripe.
There are about 138,000ha of spring barley to be cut this year, as many farmers who missed out on winter planting chose to plant spring barley.
In this instalment of the Accompany the Agronomist series, we display the results of a survey carried out with agronomists across the country on crop yields so far this harvest.
Agronomists have access to the tonnes across the weighbridge and the area of seed sown for each crop and so are able to give a good picture of where yields are at.
They, of course, have the advantage of watching crops throughout the year and tracking their progress, allowing us to provide a range of yield from low to high.
It should be noted that we do not know the area covered by these agronomists, so the average is just of the results that we received and is not based on area, but the figures should provide a good indication of where yields are at.
No doubt some readers will disagree with some reports.
Their crops may have yielded lower or higher, but this is an average and we are trying to create the best indication possible.
Winter barley
Winter barley was very disappointing for a lot of growers, but with the wet conditions that it went into and the bare batches left after the winter, as well as thin crops, it was not surprising.
The average yield reported in the survey was 3.27t/ac. However, the yield range was 1.8t/ac to 4.5t/ac, so there were many people who had extremely disappointing yields here.
Winter oats
Winter oats was one of the standout crops in the survey and these crops were reported to look well all year.
The average yield reported was 3.6t/ac, while the range was 1t/ac to 4.25t/ac. Some people did extremely well out of oats this year, while the wet winter prevented others from making a return.
Winter oilseed rape
In the season we have had, winter oilseed rape did not perform too badly at an average of 1.7t/ac. However, if you’re on the lower end of the range of 1t/ac to 2.2t/ac then it’s extremely disappointing. Hopefully, the next crop benefits from the rotation.
Winter wheat
Winter wheat was possibly one of the most disappointing crops of the harvest and the agronomists placed it and winter barley in the most disappointing category.
Winter wheat, as was the case with some winter barley crops, looked a lot better than it performed. The average yield reported was 3.73t/ac.
Many agronomists have said that crops looked to be 0.5t/ac to 0.75t/ac better than this. In reality, wheat needs to be hitting 4t/ac. However, the range of yields reported was from 2.5t/ac to 4.8t/ac.
Spring barley
There was only a small amount of spring barley harvested at the time of the survey, 22-23 August. Yields on the earlier-sown crops were good.
The average yield reported was 3t/ac. The range was 2.5t/ac to 3.3t/ac. So far, quality is generally good with KPH levels in the high 60s, but there are some crops in the low 60s.
It’s important to highlight that a very small area of spring barley has been cut. Spring barley straw yields were placed at six to 10 bales per acre.
Breakeven isn’t good business
At present, grain prices are not looking good, but there is no indication of where they will land.
However, it does look likely to be significantly lower than some of the offers we saw earlier in the year.
In March, we calculated some crop returns based on where prices were at at the time. It should be noted they were lower than they are now.
In March, we used estimates for feed barley of €175/t and feed wheat of €185/t.
At those prices, winter wheat needed 3.7t/ac to break even and spring barley needed 3t/ac.
We are off that mark in many cases and as the spring barley harvest moves on, yield is likely to drop. This is based on owned land.
However, income from straw is not included so that will bring farmers above the breakeven line.
Malting barley could offer a €60t/ to €70/t premium over feed barley.
If we are only breaking even and people are losing large amounts of money on rented land, then it is time for a support.
That needs to be an emergency payment more than the €100/ha proposed at present to get out of immediate financial worries, but in the longer term it needs to be a placement of value on Irish grain by Bord Bia, the Government and Teagasc.
Winter wheat has been a real talking point this year. It got off to a bad start, planted into wet conditions and saw no break from rain for the rest of the season. That wet weather put crops under stress and was responsible for some thin crops and bare patches in fields.
Rain
The rain also helped to keep septoria pressure high throughout the season and there is still a bit of a shortage on varieties with better septoria resistance.
Crops did not receive aphicides in many cases and were hit badly with barley yellow dwarf virus.
All of these factors hit yield and those under 4t/ac will struggle to make a profit from winter wheat on owned land.
Some farmers are questioning whether or not to grow winter wheat next season, but should remember that one swallow doesn’t make a summer.
Thank you to all the agronomists who took the time to take part in this survey and help to give an indication of where crop production is at in the country.
It’s essential to give these indications to be able to compare yields, make decisions on next year’s cropping and inform industry and Government officials.
Please assume a moisture content of 20%.
Since the survey was taken, more spring barley has been cut. Yields are holding in some areas, but there are more reports of crops between 2.5-3t/ac.Crops after break crops like beans and oilseed rape look to be performing better than those in continuous cereals.Oats, both winter and spring, are impressing in the fields this year and have lower inputs than other cereals.It is essential to note that no grain price has been settled yet and is unlikely to be until early October.
The 2023-2024 growing season has been one of the most difficult in many farmers’ memories.
With many crops cut, we are now heading into the busiest harvest period.
Rain in the last few days is not helping with progress, as spring barley crops turn ripe.
There are about 138,000ha of spring barley to be cut this year, as many farmers who missed out on winter planting chose to plant spring barley.
In this instalment of the Accompany the Agronomist series, we display the results of a survey carried out with agronomists across the country on crop yields so far this harvest.
Agronomists have access to the tonnes across the weighbridge and the area of seed sown for each crop and so are able to give a good picture of where yields are at.
They, of course, have the advantage of watching crops throughout the year and tracking their progress, allowing us to provide a range of yield from low to high.
It should be noted that we do not know the area covered by these agronomists, so the average is just of the results that we received and is not based on area, but the figures should provide a good indication of where yields are at.
No doubt some readers will disagree with some reports.
Their crops may have yielded lower or higher, but this is an average and we are trying to create the best indication possible.
Winter barley
Winter barley was very disappointing for a lot of growers, but with the wet conditions that it went into and the bare batches left after the winter, as well as thin crops, it was not surprising.
The average yield reported in the survey was 3.27t/ac. However, the yield range was 1.8t/ac to 4.5t/ac, so there were many people who had extremely disappointing yields here.
Winter oats
Winter oats was one of the standout crops in the survey and these crops were reported to look well all year.
The average yield reported was 3.6t/ac, while the range was 1t/ac to 4.25t/ac. Some people did extremely well out of oats this year, while the wet winter prevented others from making a return.
Winter oilseed rape
In the season we have had, winter oilseed rape did not perform too badly at an average of 1.7t/ac. However, if you’re on the lower end of the range of 1t/ac to 2.2t/ac then it’s extremely disappointing. Hopefully, the next crop benefits from the rotation.
Winter wheat
Winter wheat was possibly one of the most disappointing crops of the harvest and the agronomists placed it and winter barley in the most disappointing category.
Winter wheat, as was the case with some winter barley crops, looked a lot better than it performed. The average yield reported was 3.73t/ac.
Many agronomists have said that crops looked to be 0.5t/ac to 0.75t/ac better than this. In reality, wheat needs to be hitting 4t/ac. However, the range of yields reported was from 2.5t/ac to 4.8t/ac.
Spring barley
There was only a small amount of spring barley harvested at the time of the survey, 22-23 August. Yields on the earlier-sown crops were good.
The average yield reported was 3t/ac. The range was 2.5t/ac to 3.3t/ac. So far, quality is generally good with KPH levels in the high 60s, but there are some crops in the low 60s.
It’s important to highlight that a very small area of spring barley has been cut. Spring barley straw yields were placed at six to 10 bales per acre.
Breakeven isn’t good business
At present, grain prices are not looking good, but there is no indication of where they will land.
However, it does look likely to be significantly lower than some of the offers we saw earlier in the year.
In March, we calculated some crop returns based on where prices were at at the time. It should be noted they were lower than they are now.
In March, we used estimates for feed barley of €175/t and feed wheat of €185/t.
At those prices, winter wheat needed 3.7t/ac to break even and spring barley needed 3t/ac.
We are off that mark in many cases and as the spring barley harvest moves on, yield is likely to drop. This is based on owned land.
However, income from straw is not included so that will bring farmers above the breakeven line.
Malting barley could offer a €60t/ to €70/t premium over feed barley.
If we are only breaking even and people are losing large amounts of money on rented land, then it is time for a support.
That needs to be an emergency payment more than the €100/ha proposed at present to get out of immediate financial worries, but in the longer term it needs to be a placement of value on Irish grain by Bord Bia, the Government and Teagasc.
Winter wheat has been a real talking point this year. It got off to a bad start, planted into wet conditions and saw no break from rain for the rest of the season. That wet weather put crops under stress and was responsible for some thin crops and bare patches in fields.
Rain
The rain also helped to keep septoria pressure high throughout the season and there is still a bit of a shortage on varieties with better septoria resistance.
Crops did not receive aphicides in many cases and were hit badly with barley yellow dwarf virus.
All of these factors hit yield and those under 4t/ac will struggle to make a profit from winter wheat on owned land.
Some farmers are questioning whether or not to grow winter wheat next season, but should remember that one swallow doesn’t make a summer.
Thank you to all the agronomists who took the time to take part in this survey and help to give an indication of where crop production is at in the country.
It’s essential to give these indications to be able to compare yields, make decisions on next year’s cropping and inform industry and Government officials.
Please assume a moisture content of 20%.
Since the survey was taken, more spring barley has been cut. Yields are holding in some areas, but there are more reports of crops between 2.5-3t/ac.Crops after break crops like beans and oilseed rape look to be performing better than those in continuous cereals.Oats, both winter and spring, are impressing in the fields this year and have lower inputs than other cereals.It is essential to note that no grain price has been settled yet and is unlikely to be until early October. 
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