Crop Areas and Yields

October 16, 2015 12:00 am

It will be no surprise to most that the 2015 season has delivered a big harvest.   This has been confirmed by the latest statistics released by DEFRA.  These are the June Survey of Agriculture and Horticulture showing planted areas in the UK for the main crops, and also estimates for crop production in the UK.  The key results for the arable sector are summarised in the table below.  The data is only provisional at present with final results will be available on 17thDecember.

PROVISIONAL UK JUNE 2015 CENSUS AND CROP PRODUCTION

 

AREA – ‘000 Ha

2012

2013

2014

2015

Change 14-15

WHEAT

Yield (tonnes per Ha)

Production (‘000 tonnes)

1,992

6.7

13,261

1,615

7.4

11,921

1,936

8.6

16,606

1,833

8.8

16,129

-5%

+2%

-3%

BARLEY

      Winter Barley

      Spring Barley

Yield (tonnes per Ha)

Production (‘000 tonnes)

1,002

385

618

5.5

5,522

1,213

310

903

5.8

7,092

1,080

429

651

6.4

6,911

1,119

442

677

6.5

7,281

+4%

+3%

+4%

+2%

+5%

OATS

Yield (tonnes per Ha)

Production (‘000 tonnes)

122

5.1

627

177

5.5

964

137

6.1

828

131

tba

tba

-5%

–

–

OTHER CEREALS

26

24

26

36

+36%

TOTAL CEREALS

Production (‘000 tonnes)

3,142

19,515

3,028

20,084

3,179

24,621

3,119

tba

-2%

 

OILSEED RAPE

      Winter Oilseed Rape

      Spring Oilseed Rape

Yield (tonnes per Ha)

Production (‘000 tonnes)

756

744

12

3.4

2,557

715

621

95

3.0

2,128

675

661

14

3.7

2,497

654

647

7

tba

tba

-3%

-2%

-51%

 

 

LINSEED

28

34

15

15

+3%

SUGAR BEET

120

117

116

90

-22%

POTATOES

149

139

141

131

-6%

FIELD BEANS

96

118

107

168

+57%

COMBINING PEAS

24

29

32

43

+36%

MAIZE

158

194

183

186

+1%

FALLOW

153

255

160

193

+20%

Source: DEFRA 

 

 

The wheat area dropped compared to 2014, but good yields (even better than last year) mean that overall production is only slightly lower.  Any crop over 16m tonnes is a big one.  With significant stocks of wheat carried-over from last year (possibly 2.5m tonnes), the UK has a very large amount of grain to market.  The areas of both winter and spring barley rose for harvest 2015.  Coupled with high yields, this has resulted in a record harvest for recent years.

The oilseed rape area is down, but perhaps by not as much as was thought likely.  A bigger reduction in plantings may well have occurred this autumn for a combination of economic, rotational and disease reasons.  The sugar beet crop shows a drop in area due the reduction in Contract Tonnage Entitlement for the 2015 crop.  As has been reported previously in articles, the potato area is down this year – perhaps helping to improve prices. 

The effect of Greening can be seen in the crop area figures.  Both beans and peas show big increases – propelled by their use to satisfy both the Crop Diversification and EFA requirements.  The increase in fallow area can also be linked to the new rules under the BPS.  Full crop area figures can be found at – https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/structure-of-the-agricultural-industry-in-england-and-the-uk-at-june

The first statistical indications of plantings for next year will come next month with the publication of the AHDB’s ‘Early Bird’ Survey.

Categorised in: