Conor Campbell of Hutchinsons agronomists talks to Wendy Short about how crops have fared this year and the prospects for 2025.

Arable cropping results to date have been disappointing and there will be a wide variation in yields, with winter barley emerging as the worst performer following a very challenging season, according to Conor Campbell of Hutchinsons agronomists.

The overall picture for wheat, barley and oilseed rape in Northern England shows yields likely to be significantly down on the five-year average, said Mr Campbell. Among the three crops, winter barley in particular has struggled to cope with the challenging conditions that have been ongoing since last autumn.

“Winter barley needs sunshine in the early spring,” said Mr Campbell. “That was sadly lacking, compounded by the difficulties with autumn sowing and the cold, wet winter conditions which affected crops across the board.

“One standout barley variety is LG Capitol. It appears to have managed fairly well along with the hybrid varieties, which have benefited from their hardiness traits. Nevertheless, some autumn-sown barleys were written off due to poor establishment and yields could be down to as little as three to five tonnes/hectare, on farms which might usually expect 8-9t/ha.

“Wheat can compensate for losing tillers in the early growth stages, but barleys do not normally have the same capacity and grain weights have suffered as a result.”

Some wheat was still in the ground in early September across the region and a number of crops in the barn had failed to meet their potential.

“Many winter wheats could not withstand the winter flooding, while others got off to a very slow start in the spring. An early application of nitrogen helped, but tillers were lost and there is little that growers can do to boost crop development once April has passed. Therefore, grain fill became a major issue.

“The weather had improved by June, but fewer sunshine hours were recorded for the month, compared with the average. Yields are showing a wide range, with some crops achieving 10t/ha and others down as low as 6-7t/ha.”

Those wheat crops which performed reasonably had mainly been sown on the lighter soil types, he reported.

“This indicates a reverse picture compared with most other years, when summer droughts can limit wheat yields on lighter land. This season, the high water-holding capacity of heavy soils was a negative factor. Some of the best results were obtained in the north of the region, especially close to the border in the eastern counties.”

Growers have acted in anticipation of depressed cereal yields, he said.

“The difficulties that were experienced with soil damage and a poor start to the season led farmers to rein in their spending on crop inputs. This was probably a wise move, because with wheat prices currently standing at about £180/tonne, it will not be easy to make a profit this time.”

Oilseed rape has met a similar fate to cereals and there are reports of some growers giving the crop a final chance for 2025, despite its benefits as a break crop, said Mr Campbell.

“My clients have mixed feelings about oilseed rape. Some had written the crop off for this season, due to past experiences with cabbage stem flea beetle and the same challenges that have applied to cereals. However, 2024 sowing conditions have proved more favourable than expected, and some are regretting their decision.

“Oilseed rape has been a stalwart break crop for many years, partly because the alternatives are limited. Oats are one option, and some have sown the crop for the first time or expanded their acreages, although it is not always easy to find a market.

“On mixed units, oats offer a solution for inclusion in a cattle feed ration. It can be rotated around the farm and the business also has the benefit of utilising the straw, which has become expensive. One of the downsides with oats is the lack of weed control opportunities.”

Other growers who have turned away from oilseed rape are looking at entering land into the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme, particularly the ‘legume fallow’ option, he added. It can be used on arable land for cropping, temporary grassland and arable land lying fallow.

Oilseed rape requires a good autumn seedbed, which was extremely difficult to achieve in 2023, he said.

“This was no fault of the grower, but sowing was much later than the target date on many farms. Some of the crops that survived fell victim to the cabbage stem flea beetle, which was the final nail in the coffin.”

It is not easy to be positive about the predicted overall results for harvest in the North, but farmers are resilient, Mr Campbell pointed out.

“They are hoping to drill their crops as early as possible a general rule. Most of my clients have taken the approach that the end of 2024 is in sight. They are making preparations for 2025, in the hope of more favourable weather in the growing year ahead,” he said.