Big drop in 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.
Hard times continue for tillage farmers, according to the Teagasc harvest report, with at least 40% of main crop potatoes still to be lifted by mid-November.
Grain prices slumped 40% from 2007, and the harvest was one of the most difficult in recent times. However, the 2.4 million tonnes yield was Ireland’s second largest, after 2004.
The winter wheat area was the largest on record, at 85,400 ha. Crops yielded well above average at 9.8 t/ha, albeit at high moistures (22%) and low bushel weights (67 kg/l). The 839,000 tonnes of grain was the largest yield in 20 years, but sprouting was commonplace, which reduced the amount of grain that passed for seed and milling. Winter barley yields were excellent, at 8.3 t/ha, averaging 19% moisture and 64 kg/l bushel weight.
Winter oats averaged 8.1 t/ha, the highest yield in 20 years, at slightly over 146,000 tonnes. Despite above average sprouting, average quality was acceptable, at 53 kg/l, with most contract crops finding premium markets.
Spring wheat was hit by increased fusarium, especially in southern counties, and performed poorly, yielding 6.6 t/ha at 22% moistures and bushel weight 67 kg/l, on average.
Virtually no spring wheat grain was suitable for seed or milling. Many spring barley crops were cut late, and harvest losses left the average yields slightly above normal, at 6.7 t/ha, with 21% moisture, and bushel weight of 63 kg/l. Many crops did not meet malting requirements due to sprouting.
This year’s reduced spring oats crop resulted in the lowest production in 20 years, at 24,500 tonnes. In general crops were poor, averaging 6.1 t/ha and 21% moisture, but quality was generally acceptable at 53 kg/l. The oilseed rape crop was also reduced, to 5,500 ha, with average yield of 4.1 t/ha at 12% moisture, and 2.3 t/ha for the spring crops. Beans averaged 4.7 t/ha and peas 3.9 t/ha.
Teagasc researchers estimate that up to 30% of winter wheat straw was chopped or not saved this year.
Spring barley yielded 20 bales /ha, but straw quality was poor in many cases.
Winter barley straw quality and yields were good, with close to 25 bales (4x4)/ha and the vast majority sold.
Up to half of the oaten straw was chopped.
According to Teagasc, straw sales were worth between €70 for winter oats to €95 for barley per hectare.
Early potatoes yielded had slightly below normal this year, averaging 20 t/ha, with quality reasonable. Early main crop yielded in the 25 to 35 t/ha range. Maincrop yields to date average 38 t/ha, but rejection due to poor harvesting conditions could cut the final saleable yield to about 32 t/ha approx, which is 15% lower than normal.
