Harvest 2026: Light land crops struggle and some OSR wins

The summer heatwaves have seen the earliest start to harvest for many farmers across the UK, who are reporting variable results.

While on lighter land yields and quality have struggled, elsewhere crops are looking very promising.

See also: Early wheat harvest delivers mixed returns  

Kent

John Smith, director at Weald Granary in Maidstone, is pleased with crops so far. “Early indications are good and the quality has been A1.”

Winter wheat yields are lower than usual at 6.5-8.5t/ha. “Where land is lighter the crops have ripened earlier, meaning the weight isn’t there,” he says.

However, on heavier land the grains are nice and dark, and weighing in at 80-82kg/hl. Screenings and mycotoxin levels are both low, as is moisture at 13%.

However, protein and Hagberg levels are high, at 13-14% and 300-400 seconds, respectively.

“Palladium, Zia and Bamford have been particularly good,” John adds.

Barley is looking clean, although grains are thinner, with specific weights around 60-65kg/hl.

Moisture contents are very low, at about 10%, with 5-7% screenings through a via 2.25mm sieve. “Nitrogen levels are high at around 1.9-2%,” says John.

Oilseed rape is looking positive. “Farmers are losing yield on moisture, so many are cutting early or later in the day,” says John.

“But oil content is around 45%, and admixture is normal,” he adds.

Karat samples are showing a range of seed colours, but processors say it is crushing well.

Somerset

Further west, Charlie Quick at Thurloxton Farm, Taunton, has just started cutting 79ha of a four-way wheat blend.

“It’s Beowulf, Olympus, Redwald and Mayflower; the rocky naps are doing 3t/ha and the wet spots are doing 12t/ha, so we’re averaging 9t/ha,” says Charlie.

“An average year would produce 8.5t/ha, so it’s marginally above.”

Although the crop held on well, it died before ripening, and could do with some rain to finish off.           

Charlie is particularly happy with his Karat oilseed rape.

“It has averaged 4.5t/ha across 20ha, and oils were 46.5%. I usually expect 3.8t/ha – so it’s a bit of a blockbuster.”

The Gem blue peas also performed well, averaging 4.3t/ha across 17ha.

Charlie has slashed inputs this year, due to his years of regenerative work.

“The oilseed rape had a drill pass, nitrogen and two herbicides, wheat had £25/ha worth of fungicides, and the peas had only herbicide – so it has been an extremely cheap year to grow.”

Devon

Near Cullompton, Duncan Lyon has also been encouraged by the quality of crops coming into store.

“Winter barley started coming in on 6 July, and the moisture is averaging around 12.6%, at 63kg/hl specific weight,” he says.

“Oilseed rape came in on 9 July averaging 6.9% moisture, and we are presently seeing 44.7% oil contents, although it is early days.”

Winter wheat began coming into store on 11 July, averaging 13.8% moisture and 75.6kg/hl specific weight.

“In general, quality has been ok – yields are down, but it’s too early to draw many conclusions.”

Lincolnshire

Heading up to Gainsborough, Woldgrain has taken in 3,000t of feed barley, 300t of Craft malting barley, nearly 1,000t of oilseed rape and its first load of winter oats.

“The malting barley is very mixed; I think we have downgraded about a quarter of it,” says Dan Murphy, operations manager.

“It was a mixture of very high nitrogen and low retention (75-85%).”

The remaining malting barley averaged 1.65-1.72% nitrogen, with screenings of 2-3%.

Feed barley specific weights have averaged 66-74kg/hl – well above normal – and it has been coming in dry at 12%.

“But because of that we’re seeing quite a bit of smashed up brittle grain,” Dan says.

Oil contents in rapeseed have been good.

“The moisture has been low; around 6-7%, which has concentrated the oils a bit.”

Dan expects the first load of spring barley to arrive shortly. “It’s around 10 days earlier than usual.”