Cereal area down but harvest expected to be sizeable

TEAGASC predicts a 2010 grain harvest close on 1.9 million tonnes.

The cereal area is down 11%, but Teagasc advisers hope that grain tonnage will fall only down 4% from 2009, if the weather remains favourable.

For the small proportion of winter barley cut so far, quality has been excellent, and straw yields are good. Yields have been satisfactory, averaging 8.5 tonnes per hectare.