Nearly half of cereal and oilseed rape crops are now harvested, with sunny and warmer weather likely to speed up combining progress over the weekend.

Some 1.7m ha of the British cereal and oilseed rape area had been cut by Tuesday (20 August), equivalent to 47% of the total area, with the main focus being winter wheat and oilseed rape.

The rate of harvest progress in the week to 20 August was slow due to challenging weather, according to the AHDB in a report compiled by crop consultants Adas

See also: Harvest 2019: Yields and quality looking up as sun returns

Harvest progress up to 20 August can be summarised as:

Winter wheat

Some 31% of the crop is combined with most milling varieties harvested in the South of England. The estimated national average yield sits at 8.5-9.0t/ha, compared to a five-year average of 8.3t/ha.

On quality, specific weights are good despite the harsh weather at 73-83kg/hl with an average of 76kg/hl. Hagbergs average more than 300 for early-harvested crops, while some crops cut in the last week have fallen to 160 for milling varieties.

Protein levels range 11.5-13.9%, with milling varieties averaging 12.8%.

Winter barley

Some 98% of the crop is combined with only small areas left to harvest in Scotland. Yields are estimated at 7.3-7.5t/ha, a 4-7% increase on the five-year average of 7.0t/ha.

On quality, specific weights average 64 kg/hl, with a typical range 63-69kg/hl, while grain nitrogen for malting varieties average 1.6% with a range of 1.4-1.9%.

Spring barley

About 26% of the crop is harvested, mostly in the East of England. Early yields are 5.0-10.0t/ha, with malting varieties yielding 6.5-8.0t/ha and feed varieties reaching 10.0t/ha.

On quality, specific weights average 64kg/hl, with a typical range of 62-68kg/hl. Grain nitrogen (for malting varieties) average 1.6%, with a typical range 1.3-1.7%.

Winter oilseed rape

Some 95% of the crop is harvested with only small areas left in Scotland and the North of England. Average estimated yield is 3.0-3.3t/ha, which is a 6-16% reduction on the five-year average of 3.5t/ha.

Oil contents are slightly lower than average, which has been attributed to the wet weather and pest damage with oil contents at 38-47%, averaging 44%.

Oats

Some 25% of the harvest is complete. A start has been made to the oat harvest in northern regions.