An improved weather forecast for the coming days may see winter barley harvest get into full swing for the rest of this week and beyond. Very little has been cut to date, due to a combination of weather and delayed ripening, but it is likely that there will be a lot of crops taken out in the days ahead if weather permits. However, there will still be a big proportion of crops not yet ready for harvest.

Early indications from the 2015 harvest remain relatively scant. Growers want yields to be good to help pay bills, but only time will tell if this will happen.

Early indications of winter barley yield are best described as promising, but there are all magnitudes of reports so far with many based on fields that are not yet fully cut.

Reports to date suggest that yields vary from 3.2t/to 4.9 t/ac but it’s too early to tell where the average might lie. Grain quality appears to be generally good, but some samples are threshing badly and this is affecting specific weights. In general, most reports seem to be in the 62kph to 70kph bracket, with two-rows generally better but six-row varieties deemed acceptable. Hybrid crops in Goresbridge yielded 5.3t, on average, with a peak yield over 6t.

The past week has been frustrating with both markets and weather being generally disagreeable. Markets are suffering harvest pressure but there is still a lot of concern as to the effect of recent weather on some wheat, maize and spring barley crops around Europe and further afield. But, for the moment, the markets seem relaxed as to potential supply.

It would seem that weather may be more suitable for harvesting in the days ahead. This is increasingly important as some ripe crops are already showing initial signs of straw breakdown. A few more wet days would increase this risk and lead to potential field losses.