2013 Harvest – Areas and Yields

October 24, 2013 12:00 am

DEFRA has published its provisional results from the June Survey of Agriculture and Horticulture for the UK.  The key results for the arable sector are summarised in the table below.  The final results will be available on 19th December.

PROVISIONAL UK JUNE 2013 SURVEY AND CROP PRODUCTION

 

AREA – ‘000 Ha

2010

2011

2012

2013

Change 12-13

WHEAT

Yield (tonnes per Ha)

Production (‘000 tonnes)

1,939

7.7

14,878

1,969

7.7

15,257

1,992

6.7

13,261

1,626

7.4

12,101

-18%

+12%

-9%

BARLEY

      Winter Barley

      Spring Barley

Yield (tonnes per Ha)

Production (‘000 tonnes)

921

383

539

5.7

5,252

970

359

611

5.7

5,494

1,002

385

618

5.5

5,522

1,214

313

902

5.8

7,102

+21%

-19%

+46%

+6%

+29%

OATS

Yield (tonnes per Ha)

Production (‘000 tonnes)

124

5.5

685

109

5.6

613

122

5.1

627

176

5.5

975

+45%

+8%

+55%

OTHER CEREALS

29

27

26

26

-2%

TOTAL CEREALS

Production (‘000 tonnes)

3,013

20,946

3,075

21,485

3,142

19,515

3,042

20,292

-3%

+4%

OILSEED RAPE

      Winter Oilseed Rape

      Spring Oilseed Rape

Yield (tonnes per Ha)

Production (‘000 tonnes)

642

622

20

3.5

2,230

705

680

24

3.9

2,758

756

744

12

3.4

2,557

716

622

95

3.0

2,153

-5%

-16%

+699%

-11%

-16%

LINSEED

44

36

28

34

+24%

SUGAR BEET

118

113

120

117

-3%

POTATOES

138

146

149

140

-6%

FIELD BEANS

168

125

96

119

+24%

COMBINING PEAS

42

30

24

29

+20%

MAIZE

164

164

158

196

+24%

FALLOW

174

156

153

255

+66%

Source: DEFRA 

 

 

The drop in the UK wheat area is no surprise given the earlier surveys for England (DEFRA) and GB (HGCA).  Average yield, whilst better than last year, is nothing special.  Therefore total UK production drops again to 12.1m tonnes.  This figure is at the lower end of traders’ estimates so there could be slightly more availability than the DEFRA figures show.  Whatever the final figure is though, it is obviously a small wheat harvest.  

Overall UK cereals output is slightly up compared to last year.  This is a result of the increase in barley and oats areas (and reasonable yields).  We have spoken about the ‘glut’  of oats on the market previously, and this can be clearly seen in the figures.   The oilseed rape area was well down – the massive increase in spring crops not compensating for the fall in autumn crops that made it through to harvest.  Disappointing yields have led to a sizeable fall in total UK oilseed production for 2013.

Other standout figures are the total area of uncropped arable land rising by 66%.  After the autumn of 2012, any crops offering a spring planting option increased, including the pulse category.  Interestingly maize shows a large rise as well.  Obviously there was a desire to get land planted in the spring and maize was seen as a viable option, being just about the lastest crop that can be drilled.  It would be interesting to know if all of these maize crops have got a ready use or buyer lined-up.  With the wet weather recently, there will also be issues in some areas in getting the crop harvested and (further) damage to soil structure.  The full statistical release can be found at   https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/251222/structure-jun2013prov-UK-17oct13a.pdf 

The first clear indications of next year’s crop areas will come through the HGCA’s ‘Early Bird’ Survey due to be published next month.  We would expect a large area of wheat, and of oilseed rape.  It will be interesting to see if any of the break crops, after returning to some farms in 2012, will be retained for the future. 

 

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