With spring planting almost complete, there is a sense that the overall crop area planted has held or only fallen slightly. There has been strong demand for spring barley seed, but it is not known whether this has resulted in an increased area sown for harvest or an increased demand for wild bird cover use.

Members of the seed trade suggest small spring area decreases in Cork, where there is still a drift into dairying, and the northeast, where more acres were planted last autumn. The feeling is spring barley area may have held but seed usage is up.

The feeling is that spring wheat area is down. Spring oat planting is also down because of higher autumn planting, with the overall area similar. Spring rape and maize areas may be down slightly and beans could be similar.