After a rainy spring, the rain finally reached the UK farmland, but for many growers, much-needed relief may have been too late to cancel the damage.
According to the latest crop status reports from AHDB and RSK Adas Ltd, the crops show uneven signs of recovery after rainfall from late May to early June.
While showers have helped stabilize many winter crops and spring wheat, continuous water shortages, especially in the eastern and southern regions, are supposed to threaten yields and interfere with development.
Moisture availability remains a top priority concern nationwide. Despite the rainfall, the volume was patchy and was often insufficient to restore soil moisture levels following long-term dry spells.
Some crops are subjected to considerable stress, and signs of premature aging indicate that harvesting may begin slightly earlier than normal in arid areas.
Although certain fields are well tolerated, different rainfall patterns and different soil types contribute to highly contradictory growth conditions.
“After a challenging spring, the rain has come in time for some crops, but not all have benefited equally,” said Olivia Bonser, senior analyst at AHDB Cereal & Oil Seed.
“In many regions, dry weather already limits cultivation and crop height, which inevitably affects yield.
“That being said, there is still a possibility of a reasonable outcome if favorable weather continues before grain filling is complete.
“This is a case of careful optimism, with conditions varying very different fields,” she added.
The report shows that winter wheat has seen slight improvements, with 38% of its crops being rated as good at present. This has been on the rise since late May, but is well below the 56% recorded this year last year.
Although the overall disease pressure remains low, the thin crop canopy led to an increase in weed competition.
Winter Barley has also improved slightly, rated at 50%, which remains behind last year’s 69% figure. Southeast harvest is expected to begin by mid-July, with other regions continuing in a few weeks.
Oats are more aggressive in winter, with 55% of crops currently rated as good or good, with a marked decline in poorly performed fields compared to last year.
Winter Sileseed Rape (OSR) is one of the more resilient crops of the season, with 55% being good or good ratings, AHDB and RSK Adas notes.
Pest and disease pressures remain low, seed development is ongoing, and harvests are set to begin mid- to late July in the southern and eastern regions.
Spring crops face greater challenges. Only 51% of spring wheat is rated as good or excellent. Performance will vary depending on the sowing date and local rainfall.
Spring barley has slipped slightly since May, but at this point last year, 52% is rated as good or good compared to 71%.
Spring oats are the most intense hits, with a 38% rating and a good rating being a dramatic drop from 77% in 2023. Many crops are thin, stunted and struggling, especially in light soils.
Cereal sizes look promising when crops are dealing with, but cultivation and limited canopy size create great uncertainty about overall yield potential. Stressed crops also lose leaf areas, which can affect straw yield.
The report concludes that the final results will depend heavily on weather conditions over the coming weeks as crops progress through critical grain filling periods.
