Opt for crops that 'can deliver a quantifiable return' for spring 2026
Tillage farmers are being advised to maximise the certainty linked to the crops they select for the spring 2026 planting season.
Seedtech technical director, Tim O’Donovan, explained: “Given the current state of world grain markets and the predictions for the months ahead, farmers must opt for crops that can deliver a quantifiable return from the outset.
“And spring beans fall very much into this category.
"Demand for the crop remains relatively strong while the continuing availability of the Protein Aid Scheme provides that extra blanket of economic security.”
Crop performance
He noted that this time of year is when tillage farmers will be paying supplier invoices.
“At this stage, tillage farmers will have been paid for their 2025 crops and, accordingly will be settling their own bills with suppliers," O'Donovan said.
“And, in many cases, the crop margins calculated will be nothing to write home about.
“However, there is one overarching theme that has come to prominence: physical crop performance was a key driver of tillage sustainability in 2025.
"And this is an issue that is within the direct remit of growers to improve as they look to the future.”
The Seedtech representative went in to confirm that, after a good growing year and harvest, the mood amongst tillage farmers is down.
He said: “Quite simply, grain prices - despite being relatively high - have not kept pace with the cost of growing crops.
“Tillage farmers have decided on winter crops, but spring choices have yet to be made. Crops with a proportion of ‘guaranteed’ incomes are generally favoured when projected profits are low.
“Looking at Teagasc Crop margins, it will take a 3.5t/ac crop of spring barley to give the same margin of €250/ac as a 2.0t/ac crop of beans.”
“It also must be pointed out that most of this bean profit comes from a government bean subsidy of around €200/ac.”
According to Tim O’Donovan, there has never been a more compelling reason to sow spring beans in 2026.
Crops will be eligible for up to €250/ac under the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Protein Subsidy next year.
This will be automatically applied for when completing the 2026 Basic Payment Scheme application on-line.
Spring beans
In terms of input costs, beans save up to €200/ac as they require no nitrogen to grow and leave up to 30 units/ac of nitrogen in the soil for the following crop.
Moreover, beans break the Take-All cycle and add 0.5t/ac of extra yield to the following crop.
One of the most exciting varieties of spring beans that will be available in 2026 is Lynx.
It was the joint highest yielding bean in the 2025 DAFM trials and has excellent disease resistance and stem stiffness.
Beans can be drilled from the beginning of February to mid-April, with soil conditions the key factor in determining when to plant.
Crops yield best in medium to heavy soils with good soil fertility (index 3 for P & K) and pH above 6.5.
