Winter barley to set new record
The area of winter cereals is estimated to have risen slightly this year, to 138,000 hectares, boosted by very favourable autumn conditions for drilling crops. The winter barley cropping choice upward trend has continued, to an estimated 75,000 hectares.
This is due to a combination of factors, which include the impending 2/3 crop rule, and winter barley’s reliable performance relative to alternative crops in recent years.(New crop diversification rules require a farmer with 10-30ha of arable land to grow at least two crops; a farmer with over 30ha must grow at least three crops)
