As the season draws to a close, farmers are looking at options for next season and three break crops offer some money-earning opportunities.

Premium Crops is offering attractive premiums for two winter-sown oilseeds – linseed and specialty oilseed rape – plus spring-sown borage.

Below is a round up of what’s on offer.

Winter linseed

Premium Crops is offering record £600/t winter linseed contracts. Nigel Padbury explains that the company’s French partner, Valorex, is experiencing unprecedented demand for UK-grown linseed.

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Valorex specialises in pressure cooking oilseeds such as linseed to unlock their nutritional value.

“This strong demand for UK linseed has pushed contract values to record highs,” says Premium Crops’ seeds and marketing manager, Nigel Padbury.

“We’re offering farmers a genuine opportunity to maximise their break crop profitability during this exceptional market period.”

Nigel points to gross margin analysis that demonstrates the potential economic benefits with winter linseed delivering £915/ha – outperforming other autumn break crops including winter OSR (£809/ha), winter oats (£708/ha), and winter beans (£622/ha).

He says winter linseed offers compelling economic advantages with oil yields now rivalling those of rapeseed, but without the pest pressures.

Unlike rapeseed, winter linseed avoids cabbage stem flea beetle damage, significantly reducing crop protection requirements and associated costs.

OSR

For those growers wishing to stick with oilseed rape, Premium Crops is offering contracts worth up to £450/ha above standard 00 rapeseed for high erucic acid rape (Hear).

A smaller premium of up to £200/ha is available for high oleic acid (Holl).

Nigel says the premiums make specialty OSR an appealing option for crop rotation diversification.

He points to new industry guidance for flea beetle, which will aid pest management, improve establishment, and gain higher yields.

“Our premium contract rates allow growers to mitigate any remaining risk by achieving the most from every tonne they get.”

Borage

Finally, for those farmers looking for a spring option, contracts have been announced for borage.

Nigel says they have been securing £3,000/t contracts with farmers achieving average yields of 450kg/ha, though performance can range from 150-750kg/ha depending on conditions.

He also points to other benefits of the crop, such as soil health.

Borage acts as a “dynamic accumulator” with deep roots that aerate soil, improve drainage, and prevent erosion.

“This fast-growing annual crop provides quick planting-to-harvest turnaround and integrates easily into cereal rotations.”