There have been some 'excellent yields' recorded so far but latest indications suggest harvest 2025 in Ireland could be 'a mixed bag' across the country.

According to latest updates from Teagasc tillage advisors and specialists although yields have been buoyant in some areas there have also been disappointing crops in certain circumstances.

The harvest started in the early days of July and evidence showed drier sites growing older varieties like KWS Cassia struggled in the dry conditions.

Straw yields were decent with many growers claiming to sell between 13 and 15, 4x4 bales an acre, although some straw was on the ground for a few weeks and these crops didn't bale up as well.

Rape has been, probably, one of the standout crops for growers in 2025. Most crops yielded over 5.0 t/ha (2.0 t/ac) with some crops yielding substantially more than that.

The pigeon grazing in the spring seemed to have a negligible effect on yield and with the good prices compared to cereals it will rival even the best winter wheat crops this year when it comes to margin.

There were also some very good reports of yields in oat crops this year. The dry spells experienced in the spring seemed to have had little effect on yield.

Most of the straw was entered into the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) scheme. However demand for oats is very poor at the moment as most merchants have an over-supply due to an overhang of 2024 crop still being available to them

Meanwhile winter wheat crops, for the most part, have yielded very well.

Significantly, yellow rust infections do not seem to have impacted yield too much with many farms recording yields in some fields of over 12.5 t/ha (5 t/ac).

However, not all crops are achieving these type of yields. Straw is being baled and cleared quickly after the combine which is allowing stubble cultivations and cover crops to be drilled.

There have also been some reports of some very good spring barley yields as high as 9.5 t/ha (3.8 t/ac) with an odd field yielding even higher than that.

But on drier ground some crops were as low as 5 t/ha (2 t/ac).

Bushel weights on some of these drier sites were low at 60kg/hl while some of the grain was difficult to thrash.

It was a similar case with malting barley with reports of lower rejections than normal.