Harvest progress is proving extremely variable, with some areas almost halfway through rapeseed harvest, and others yet to start.

In Great Tey, Colchester, Essex, Peter Fairs had already cut 40ha of oilseed rape and was now starting on winter barley.

“It’s all happening rather suddenly and quickly – we didn’t really expect to be going quite this early,” he said.

The Excalibur oilseed rape, which had been swathed, had yielded a rather disappointing 3t/ha – although the later fields were better at just over 3.7t/ha.

Further north, harvest was slightly later than normal at Pink Pig Farm, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, with Andrew Jackson only starting oilseed rape today (16 July).

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“It looks good – but we’ve had problems blocking the combine up by starting too early before, so we’re very wary,” he said.

In Northern Ireland, harvest was yet to get underway, with most winter barley still at least five days off, according to Charles Davidson at North Down Grain, Newtonards.

“The grain is ripening but the straw is still green,” he said. “We’ve had a really good period of weather, but now it’s starting to rain: It must be nearly harvest.”

Harvest was also a day or two later than normal across the South West, although early yield and quality indications were reasonably promising, said Ian Eastwood, marketing manager at West Country Grain.

The first few loads of oilseed rape had been disappointing, but yields had improved as farmers got into the main part of fields and into riper crops. “There’s nothing at 4.9t/ha, but most are coming in at 3.7-4.3t/ha now.”

Further east, Tim Lock was making good progress at Houghton Farm, Arundel, Sussex, having cut oilseed rape and winter barley so far.

The Alegria rapeseed yielded a disappointing 3t/ha, but the Cassia winter barley, which had always looked good, yielded a pleasing 8.6t/ha, he said. 

“The wheat is turning fast in the hot weather, but although we have cut wheat in July we probably won’t be this year, which is a good thing.”

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