There will be no extension to the deadline for catch crops being planted ahead of winter cereals under the Farming for Water Programme.

A spokesperson for the Farming for Water Programme told the Irish Farmers Journal: “There will be no planting deadline extensions granted for catch crops sown ahead of winter crops. We acknowledge that ground conditions are currently very dry, but rain is expected by the weekend, we understand.”

Under the programme, farmers can plant short-term catch crops by 1 August and they must remain in place until 30 September.

Current conditions mean that land across the country is very dry and extremely difficult to cultivate. Soil moisture deficits were up to 86mm in some of the main tillage-growing regions of the country this week.

Conditions are also too dry for crops to germinate and grow. Cultivation would result in burning more diesel, releasing more carbon to the atmosphere, wearing metal faster and eroding soil with possible phosphorus losses in the dust.

Over-winter catch crops

However, if farmers do not get these crops planted, they can still plant over-winter catch crops by 1 September, but just check what area you have applied for under both sets of catch crops.

The maximum total area is 40ha, but you may have applied for 10ha of catch crops to be planted by 1 August and 10ha to be planted by 1 September and kept over winter, for example.

The payment under the scheme is €173/ha for the eight-week catch crop and €229/ha for the over-winter catch crop.

ACRES catch crops do not have to be planted until before 15 September and remain in place until 1 January, but offer a lower payment of €173.20/ha.