Cambridgeshire-based farmer Philip Allen kicked off his oilseed rape harvest on 9 July, 10 days earlier than last year with a seed crop of Pi Pinnacle coming off at 9% moisture.

He says the yields off the combine were 4.375t/ha, “which on our soils is very satisfying. The crop was nice and short with lots of pods.”

See also: Harvest 2025: Early wheat yields ‘better than expected’

It’s the second year that he has achieved over 4.2t/ha at his farm near Thorney.

He cut the seed crop first before moving into commercial fields of the conventional variety and at the time he spoke to Farmers Weekly, he still had 53ha to harvest.

Philip says crops have fared remarkably well in the dry conditions, which he believes is down to soils being well structured on the farm allowing roots to access the full soil profile for nutrients and water.

Cabbage stem flea beetle pressure has been low this year and he recalls there were very few adults in the trailers last harvest.

Consequently, only limited shot holing was observed on the seedlings last autumn and very few larvae could be found by his agronomist Jimmy Green this spring.

Establishment consisted of subsoiling with a Spalding Buster, one pass of his Vaderstad Carrier and then rolling the field to conserve moisture straight behind the Carrier.

The crop was drilled using an 8m John deere drill, and then the field rolled again.

Philip used a quad bike to spin on Berseem clover companion after the crop was drilled just before rain was forecast.