The harvest progress was slowed this week by frequent rains in many parts of the country, but the winter barley harvest has largely been cleared up at this point. Yields have continued to vary from good to disappointing, with the earlier potential of the crop not fully realised as grain fill was limited by too little moisture.

The only other crop that has been harvested in any volume is winter oilseed rape, which has been very good, with yields commonly 2t/acre or better.

A tiny acreage of spring barley and winter wheat has been cut, with early reports showing good quality and yields good for winter wheat and acceptable for spring barley.

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Jerry Morrison, Knockanore,Tallow, Co Waterford

Winter barley yielded well, considering the overall picture this year. We had some 4t/acre crops, but they looked super, like 5t crops, six weeks ago. We had plenty of 3.5t/acre crops, and one 3t/acre crop, which was disappointing. The oilseed rape did quite well, yielding 2t/acre when dried on-farm to 8% moisture. With prices decent you’d have to be happy with that. We have no winter oats, but yields have not been over-impressive. I can’t remember the last time there was a clear gap in the harvest. We will have been idle for a week before anything else is ripe for harvesting. The first of the spring barley looks like coming in ahead of the winter wheat. The barley looks average, but the winter wheat and spring bean crops do look promising. That said, it’s only when a crop goes into the tank and over the weighbridge that you know what you have. Straw markets are strong €2-3 ahead of other years, with fields being cleared quickly.

James English, Ballylooby, Cahir, Co Tipperary

We started on the winter wheat on Saturday. It was JB Diego on continuous wheat ground. Quality was good, busheling 74-75. We can’t be definitive on yields yet. Rain stopped us completing cutting, but somewhere in the region of 3.8-4.0 tonnes/acre, which is decent. Spring barley is completed, averaging 3.6t/acre, which is disappointing. It looked a better crop than that. Yields ranged from 3.4-3.9t/acre, with lighter soils yielding poorest. Quality was good, and barley looked good, but just didn’t weigh. Straw is flying. We’re getting €13-14 for 4x4 round bales. We also bale 8x4x4 square barley straw bales, which are making €40 each.

Stuart Matthews, Coolbanagher, Emo, Co Laois

We’ve had less rain than many recently, and there’s been a little cutting done almost every day. The winter barley is mostly rounded up. Good-looking crops are delivering moderate yields. Straw crops are heavy, but there hasn’t been any baling weather for a week now. There’s a lot of straw on the ground. I’ve heard good reports of winter oats – we don’t have any, but it’s yielding 3.75-4t/acre. Our spring barley is all for Boortmalt. It’s Planet variety, which suffered less from skinning than other varieties last year. There has been a little cut, and we’re hearing it showed no skinning issues, which comes as a bit of a relief after last year, although it is still early days, especially for Sebastian. I grow sugar beet to feed on-farm, and it’s looking a really good crop.

John Daly, Kilconnell, Ballinasloe, Co Galway

Most winter barley is cut at this stage, and straw has mostly been baled. I was very happy with my Cassia winter barley. It yielded 4t/acre. I pushed the crop as hard as allowed by nitrates limits, and it definitely was worth it. Yields across the county have varied in the same manner as across the country, with yields from 3t/acre to over 4t/acre, with lighter land yielding poorer. I’ve no winter wheat cut yet, but it looks good. The spring barley is chasing the winter wheat in. They’ll both be ripe together with crops cuttable by early next week. We have cut some wholecrop. Most wholecrop around here is spring wheat rather than barley. Bean crops have a good bit to go, but look very good. Straw is in very high demand. I have regular customers, I’m charging €18/4x4 round.