UK winter wheat yields lower than last year, but protein content higher

According to the UK's Agricultural and Horticultural Research Board (AHDB), early harvest data shows mixed results - weak figures for wheat and good figures for rapeseed and barley.

Thus, AHDB reports that the yield of winter wheat is 6.9 t/ha, which is 11% lower than the 5-year average, but it varies significantly depending on the regions. At the end of July, wheat was harvested on 11% of the area, which exceeds the indicators of the last two years and corresponds to the level of 2022. Despite the low yield, the quality of the grain is better than last year - the protein content is 14% (12.5% in 2024).

Winter rapeseed has been harvested on 54% of the area (73% last year), and the average yield is 3.76 t/ha, which is 20% higher than the 5-year average, and in the eastern regions - by 40%. The oil content is stably high and is about 45%.

Winter barley harvesting is almost complete, except in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Yields are in the range of 4.7-8.3 t/ha (6.7 t/ha on average), which is in line with the 5-year average. Spring barley and legume harvesting has also begun.

The current season has been generally dry, but rains over the past two weeks have forced farmers to harvest grain with high moisture content to avoid quality and yield losses. The AHDB describes the situation as mixed: “harvest results vary by region, with rapeseed and winter barley yields quite high, while winter wheat is below average.”