Early harvest reports as small amount of winter barley cut

Rain put a stop to the small bit of harvest action that took place over the weekend and into Monday.

The fine weather allowed a minority of crops to be cut. More crops will be fit for harvest towards the end of the week and into next week.

So far, many of the varieties cut have been early like Pixel.

Yields have been variable with the better performers coming from the south of the country where more rain fell over the season.

However, further up the country yields were significantly lower on some of these early varieties and screenings were reported to be high.

Average yields are not expected to reach any highs this season and crops over 4t/ac are likely to be the exception. Crops sown in late October sat in wet conditions for months. Low plant counts and patchy crops could not be recovered in the spring time.

Yesterday, AgriLand reported some of the action from Co. Kilkenny. James O’Reilly started harvesting on Saturday evening and reported a yield of 4.1t/ac from a crop of Belfry winter barley at 19-20% moisture content. The KPH was reported at 65-66.

However, James told AgriLand that he expects to average 3.7t/ac or 3.8t/ac across his winter barley crops.

Straw

Straw yield has been reported to be down and that will come as no surprise after a poor winter and dry May.

Demand is reported to be high in the midlands and north-east, but there have been very few reports of commitments to prices.