Goldcrop: High temperatures widen window for sowing oilseed rape

Seed suppliers Goldcrop are concerned that farmers have been slow to sow oilseed rape this summer, and suggest that the higher than usual soil temperatures have widened the window for planting seed to mid-September.

Goldcrop has cautioned that slow demand for seed is an indication that the area of Winter Oilseed Rape (WOSR) to be sown for 2014 could be under threat. The Cork-based seed company has also reminded farmers that problems with last year’s were caused by the unprecedented weather.

Goldcrop general manager Donal Fitzgerald said: “Many growers are probably disillusioned with the WOSR crop following this past year. A lot of crops experienced problems with poor establishment, pigeon damage and weed infestation, all of which contributed to an overall poor on-farm yield in 2013. However, there were also many high-yielding crops harvested, and these tended to be those that were sown early, established well, and had a decent plant canopy developed coming into the spring.”