Survey reveals combined image of Scotland’s 2023 harvest

The combined climate this 12 months has induced a large variation in harvest yield and high quality round Scotland.

The Nationwide Farmers’ Union (NFU) Scotland stated that some respondents to its annual harvest survey this 12 months described their harvest as sensible, others described it as common and a few stated they discovered it very difficult.

Common yields recorded by respondents to the NFUS harvest survey had been: Spring barley, 5.7t/ha; Winter wheat, 9.5 t/ha; Winter oats, 7.4 t/ha; Spring oats, 6.3 t/ha; oilseed rape, 3.9 t/ha and rye, 7.8 t/ha.

The union added that some farmers have but to finish their harvest as a result of moist climate in current weeks.

NFU Scotland’s combinable crops chair, Willie Thomson, who farms close to Longniddry in East Lothian commented: “The new dry summer time adopted by a moist autumn has been removed from excellent for some.

“The poor climate has not solely delayed harvesting and planting however has additionally affected grain high quality, notably in spring barley, which is our largest crop.”

Thomson stated {that a} “clear” pattern from the survey was that winter crops fared higher than spring-sown crops.

“Winter crops sown in autumn 2022 got here via into the spring in good situation and had been effectively established and extra proof against the climate challenges that this 12 months has introduced,” he stated.

“By comparability, spring crops have confirmed to be much less resilient and for some across the nation, we nonetheless desperately want a window within the climate for them to finish harvest.”

On the again of the extensive variance in high quality, Thomson stated the union has contacted “key” malting and distilling stakeholders to focus on the challenges that climate has positioned on its members, encouraging them to think about small adjustments to their necessities to make sure they will safe as a lot Scottish-grown barley as doable.

“It has been a hard-won harvest this 12 months, with decrease costs this season set in opposition to the best enter prices ever seen. On prime of that, current moist climate can have introduced unwelcome drying prices as effectively,” he added.

“We’ll proceed to evaluate what affect that is having on cashflow on Scottish arable farms and NFU Scotland’s third annual intentions survey, resulting from be launched on the finish of the 12 months, will determine if the mixture of prices, market returns and a difficult 12 months weather-wise have altered enterprise plans for growers.”