UK: Winter barley crop condition improves across UK

The Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB) has confirmed that winter crop conditions remain poor across the UK on a historic basis, Agriland reported on July 11.

However, recent weeks have seen a significant improvement in the situation. This is a direct result of the dry and significantly warmer weather conditions that have impacted on all crops since the middle of April.

Winter combinable crops in the UK suffered a lot of very wet weather this year, from planting and establishment through to late March and beyond.

As a result, crop conditions are more varied than usual. The crops now, are not the best we have ever seen, but have surprised many people with their improvement from earlier in the year.

While some parts of the country are looking more or less as they should, there are notable bare patches and large gaps, particularly in wet corners and headlands across several regions. Central England is particularly affected.

The percentage of the GB winter barley crop rated as either good or excellent is 69%. This is up from the 62% last month, but down from 84% a year ago.

The winter barley crop is starting to turn golden, and sunshine would be welcomed for this crop now to swell the emerging grain. It has coped with the poor winter weather conditions well and some farms appear to have big yields.

If the crops can remain standing for another few weeks, the finished product might be quite good.

Winter barley was more established last autumn when the deluges began, so had a greater resilience than the majority of wheat crops.

Even in the worst hit regions of the midlands, many fields are looking comparatively strong.

Across all regions, 71% of spring barley is now classified as either good or excellent, up from 55% last month. This is also a higher proportion that the same point last year, when just 53% was rated as in good or excellent condition.

The spring has provided excellent growing conditions on the whole and flag leaves are now emerging.

Short of the need for sunshine, spring crops, including barley could offer the best of a very difficult year for combinable cropping in the UK.

11 July, 2024