Big drop in cereal sowings

LOWER prices, a late and difficult harvest, and a wet autumn have resulted in a major decrease in autumn cereal sowings.

The winter wheat crop is estimated at 35,000 hectares, well below the normal 60,000 ha. The winter barley crop is estimated to have fallen from 21,000 to 11,000 ha, and the winter oats crop is estimated at 7,000 ha.

Plant establishment is generally normal in early sown crops, but later sown crops have been damaged by slugs and bad weather, and less than 10% have been treated with autumn herbicides.