Winter barley topping out at 3.75t/ac in Down
Co. Down cereal grower Allan Chambers is confirming that the 2026 winter barley harvest is almost over, with crops topping out at 3.75t/ac.
He said: “That figure was achieved on the driest fields.
"A lot of the land was at saturation for most of last winter. Here, yields were lower.
“However, grain is coming off the combine at between 14-15% moisture. We have been able to bale straw directly after the combine.”
Chambers farms close to the village of Clough in partnership with his nephew, Neill Patterson.
Half of the 360ac farm is dedicated to winter cereal production: winter wheat and winter barley. Spring-planted forage maize accounts for the other 180ac.
A big driver for the cropping enterprise is the availability of broiler litter from the farm’s chicken houses.
Crop rotation
According to Chambers, establishing the right rotation is at the heart of every arable system.
“In our case, the maize is followed by winter wheat and then winter barley,” he said.
"We establish a cover crop mix of stubble turnips and other brassicas on winter barley ground directly after harvest.
“Taking this approach allows us to build up soil organic matters. Sheep have access to the cover crops prior to ploughing in the spring.”
Chambers and Patterson work on the basis of achieving a base 4t/ac yield for wheat each year. The equivalent figure for barley is 3.75t.
Straw is a valuable component to the overall economics of the cereal enterprise, and can be worth up to £400/ac.
Chambers and Patterson plant six-row winter barley hybrid varieties only.
“The late September sowing date prevents Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus becoming an issue.
"We also apply an aphicide to the new established autumn crops," Chambers said.
Winter wheat
With the winter barley harvest now almost complete, Chambers will soon be turning his attention to the combining of the 2026 winter wheat acreage.
He commented: “Crops are ripening at an extremely fast rate at the present time.
“But it will still be another three weeks before any of our wheat is ready for the combine."
Forage maize is the final crop of the year to be harvested on the farm.
Northern Ireland has seen a significant uplift in the acreage of the crop grown in 2026.
Maize growers in the region are reporting that their crops are responding well to the continuing spell of hot, dry weather.
