So far this has been a relatively easy and straightforward harvest except for the north and west. Crops have been slower to ripen this year but this can be justified for as long as yields meet or exceed expectations from the longer growing season.

In the middle of last week, I contacted a number of growers, merchants and consultants for an update on harvest progress. The following article reflects the general reports of good yields around the country and shows the variability in harvest progress that existed up to that point.

These reports provide a feel for harvest progress to date. But there are many areas where the second phase of the harvest has not really commenced yet because of the lateness of the harvest. Some areas have seen considerable cutting since then but others have made little progress and the forecast is quite variable.

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While growers hope to have a storage capacity problem arising from high yields, most of the replies did not suggest that this was likely.

Carlow

A grower in west Carlow told me he had just cut 3.0t/ac off of a very sandy field of spring barley and 3.55t/ac from a some heavier ground. These were both cut at 15% and averaged 68KPH. Straw yield was nine 4x4 round bales per acre. Local reports range from 3.0 to 4.1t/ac.

Winter barley harvesting is finished in that area with farm yields reported in the 4.0 to 5.1t/ac range. Harvesting of winter rape is also complete, with yields in the 1.6 to 2.1 t/ac range. Winter oats are also finished and yields varied from 3.5 to 4.6t/ac. Quality was good on all fronts.

Winter wheat was only starting last week and the only definite report was a 35ac field of Lumos on light land that yielded 4.7t/ac at 18% moisture and 79-81KPH.

South Kildare

A grower close to Athy told me he had just finished cutting rape, which was all Sensation and it yielded 2.0t/ac at 9% moisture. Winter barley harvesting is long finished in this area and he did not expect his spring barley to be ready until the end of this week. At that point he had about a quarter of his winter wheat cut, which was JB Diego as continuous wheat. Yield to date averaged 5.1t/ac, with moisture at 16.5%. Quality was good at 77KPH on the green grain, which came off the batch dryer at 82KPH.

Waterford/Cork

A merchant told me that harvesting progress has been slower than normal for this region. Winter barely is long finished and it produced some good yields. Two-row varieties yielded up to 4.6t/ac, with six-row hybrids up to 4.75t/ac. Spectacular yields were scarce and the estimated average yield is put at 3.75t/ac across the region.

Winter rape harvesting is complete also, with an estimated average yield of about 1.7t/ac within a 1.4 to 2.1t/ac range. It seems that variety was a factor as there was an amount of shedding reported in some crops.

Spring barley was really only starting last week when crops were barely ripe and this resulted in green grains and variable moistures. Specific weight was an initial concern on some varieties with some low 60s reported while other varieties were in the 64-67KPH range. The early yields seemed to be good, running around 3.0 t/ac on average, but there are many crops to be cut in the next few weeks that have some lodging or are thinner following later sowing.

Harvesting of winter wheat was only beginning last week, with second and continuous wheat crops cut initially. Quality was very good on these early crops, with specific weights in the 74-78KPH range at moistures from 18-22%. Yields from these crops are reported to be in the 4.0 to 4.5t/ac range, while a limited number of first wheats yielded from 4.25t/ac up to 5.0t/ac.

Harvesting of spring oats was only beginning last week.

Louth/Meath

In this region the winter barley was all harvested and yields varied from 3.4 to 5.0t/ac, with an expected average of 3.8t/ac, or better. The six-row varieties yielded about 0.5t/ac better than the two-rows in that area. Grain quality was very good with Cassia up to 70KPH and averaging around 66KPH before drying. Tower was an estimated two points lower on KPH. And an estimated average for the six-rows was around 63KPH.

Last week winter oat harvesting was nearly completed in that region. Yields of Barra were quite variable, with the top end just under 4.0t/ac but with an average that may be closer to 3.3 t/ac. Yet quality was still good at 57KPH. Yields from Husky seemed better, especially on heavier soils. The highest yield reported was 4.5t/ac, with an average around 3.6t/ac at low moistures. However, specific weights were lower than might have been expected from Husky, with a proportion of 51KPH reported.

Harvesting of winter oilseed rape was still continuing last week. Yields seem to be in the 1.75 to 2.3t/ac range at 9-11% moisture. One consistent comment is that the crop is weighing heavy this year. Spring barley and winter wheat harvesting had not begun in that area early last week.

South Tipperary

The area around Clonmel is renowned for its earliness but harvesting is slower in this area this year also. Winter barley harvesting is long completed with a number of five tonne plus crops reported. Nonetheless, an average yield for the area might well be over 4.0t/ac this year, with very good quality.

Winter oilseed rape harvesting is finished, with yields ranging from 1.9 to 2.25t/ac. Some growers had already planted rape for next year early last week.

The winter oat crop was exceptional in this area with the majority of crops in the four tonne plus category. There was one report of a 4.9t/ac crop (field), but the average may even be as high as 4.5t/ac. Quality was excellent also, with specific weights generally in the 54-57KPH range.

Harvesting of continuous wheat began last week with yields in the 4.0 to 4.5t/ac bracket. Quality is good, with specific weights ranging from 74 to 80KPH. However, most crops in this area are first wheats and harvesting was only beginning last week. One crop of Epson following oats yielded something over 4.5t/ac, with 77KPH at just under 20% moisture. The belief is that the ‘better ground’ is still to happen.

Much of the spring barley in the area was not ripe early last week and harvesting was just beginning. One crop yielded 3.8t/ac, with another reported to be just below 4.0t/ac. Specific weights were in the high 60s.

Mid Leinster

Winter barley harvesting is finished, with an estimated 4.2 t/ac average and excellent grain quality. But, as with other regions, this average is made of a big spread of yields with a number of five tonne plus fields.

Winter oats were virtually all completed last week, with good yields generating an estimated 4.0t/ac average. Grain quality was good with an average of 56KPH.

There was still a good bit of winter rape let to cut at the start of last week but that may have changed since as growers pushed to get crops cut ahead of the forecasted rain on Sunday. Yields were in the 1.7 to 2.2t/ac range, with a few disappointing crops but still an estimated average of around 1.9t/ac.

Harvesting of winter wheat was really only beginning last week but initial yields (from continuous and first wheats) ranged from 4.2 to 5.4t/ac. Quality is good with specific weights in the 74-79KPH range off the combine at moistures from 18% to 22%.

Spring feeding barley was only really getting going as well. However, yields were described as better than expected, with the majority of reports coming in at 3.0 to 3.3t/ac. Grain quality is good also, with low proteins on the malting varieties.

Spring oat harvesting was only beginning so there were no solid yields to report.

Kilkenny grower

One Kilkenny grower told me that his hybrid winter barley varieties, Volume and Quadra, averaged 4.5t/ac at 18% moisture. But his better crops on good land averaged 4.8t/ac, while his higher colder land only yielded 4.15t/ac.

His Husky winter oats averaged 3.75t/ac at 17% moisture. Some of the winter rape (DK Extrovert) has been cut at 2.1t/ac at 11% moisture, but he still has other rape to cut.

He has a significant amount of winter wheat cut and it is doing well. This is all first wheat after oats or rape and it is yielding well in excess of 5.0t/ac on average so far, with one field up to 5.7t/ac. Average moisture levels at that point were about 18.5% and specific weights were in the 76-80KPH bracket.

The early sown spring oats will be ready for harvesting once the weather picks up again.

Northern growers

One grower had completed his winter rape harvest with an average yield of 1.78t/ac at 11-12% moisture. He was happy with this result, given that up to two hectares had been badly damaged by rabbits and pheasants. Other growers still had rape to harvest last week.

His Mascani winter oats produced very variable results, with an average to date of 2.86t/ac at 16% moisture. He still had more to cut at that point. Specific weight post drying is 55-56KPH. While grain moistures were low, the straw was not fully ripe and this made harvesting difficult.

There is little or no demand for straw, apart from regular customers, so all headlands will be chopped and possibly some fields as well. And while he has no spring barley, his neighbours did not have any crops cut early last week. Winter wheat was not ready for harvesting as it was only sprayed off the previous week. Like many others, he has a bit of lodging in his wheat but it looks to have good potential.

Another grower was well pleased with his 90 acres of Volume hybrid winter barley. It produced an average of 5.0t/ac, as weighed off the combine, at an average of 19.5% moisture. He was surprised by the yield level as he did not notice a higher ear density and the specific weights were similar to other years. So the potential must have been hidden in grains per ear. His winter wheat was not ready for harvesting last week either.

A grower further north told me that winter barley harvesting was not completed last week but many growers have struggled to complete it since then.

In general yields have been good, particularly from the six-row varieties, with many claims of over 4.0t/ac.

There was no winter wheat cut in that region but crops may be ready when conditions pick up again.

Malting barley

Up to last week, the 2015 malting barley harvest had excellent quality combined with good yields. An estimated 35% of the crop had been harvested early last week.

Yields have been in the 2.9 to 4.1t/ac range but some individual field yields were well above 4.5t/ac. Quality has been excellent also, with low screenings a good spread of proteins. However, some growers fear rejections due to an increasing proportion of low proteins.

Harvested moisture levels have been within the required range but there have been some rejections for excess moisture. This is now holding up harvesting.