Harvest is progressing very quickly in Co. Cork, where spring barley harvest is about 10 days ahead of normal.

Nicholas Dunican at Cork Combines said the weather had been excellent over the past fortnight, but rain would put combines on hold for the next few days.

“Most of the spring barley round here is coming in over 7.4t/ha (3t/acre), which is pretty good, and most of it is passing for malting. Everyone is feeling very buoyant.”

Spring barley harvest was about 50% complete, and was coming in at about 15% moisture.

“There is great demand for straw, with spring barley 4×4 bales making up to €14-€15 (£11.50-£12.30) ex-field.”

Very little winter wheat was sown due to last year’s wet autumn, said Mr Dunican. “But February sown wheat is still a week away.”

Winter barley yields were variable, but averaged a reasonable 8.6-9.3t/ha (3.5-3.75t/acre).

“Everything is so different from the past couple of years – there are many fields cleared and done. To have finished so much this early in August is brilliant.”