Scotland’s stop-start harvest has seen a wide range in yields and quality, with some farmers calling it the toughest in decades.
Responses to NFU Scotland's annual harvest survey have highlighted the big impact the weather has had on Scottish crops for 2024.
Some respondents described this year’s growing season and harvest as the toughest in 30 years, due to a wet autumn and winter followed by a late spring.
The survey shows that harvest has just been completed in some areas, with others are well advanced in their autumn plantings.
More than 150 growers have initially responded to the survey and information on yields will be sent to the Scottish government.
Average yields so far recorded by respondents were: Spring barley, 6.29 tonnes per hectare (t/ha); winter barley, 7.26 t/ha; winter wheat, 8.51 t/ha; winter oats, 7.3 t/ha; spring oats, 6.96 t/ha; oilseed rape, 3.45 t/ha and rye, 7.0 t/ha.
And comments provided by respondents has presented a very mixed picture from around Scotland.
Harvesting conditions have been tricky, with many farmers saying they were grateful for the good weather window in mid-to-late September.
The huge variability in yields can be highlighted by some wheats yielding 6 t/ha in some areas whilst others yielding as high as 11 t/ha.
The better weather this autumn has seen that many, who had managed to harvest, also manage to get their winter crops in in good conditions, which has been a positive, and early establishment has been good.
NFU Scotland’s combinable crops chair, Jack Stevenson, said the common theme heard across Scotland for harvest 2024 was huge variations in yield and quality.
"With record rainfall in some areas since October 2023, winter crops suffered almost from the moment they were planted," he explained.
“Spring crops have done better even though they were late in the ground. We had decent amounts of sunshine and growth in June and July, and some farmers have had bumper crops of spring barley."
Mr Stevenson said it had not been an easy year for growers and, when combined with the recent drop in price in the marketplace, many farmers 'will be asking themselves what to do next'.
“We need to build confidence in the sector for the future, so that farmers see a fair return for all the efforts and resources that they put in to producing such high-quality products.”
Due to the late and ongoing harvest in some parts, NFU Scotland's survey is still open so that a complete picture of the harvest can be collated.
