UK Winter Planting Results March 26, 2014 12:00 am The area planted to winter cereals and oilseeds in the UK has increased by 13.5% compared to the 2013 harvest year. This is the headline finding from the UK winter planting survey undertaken by the HGCA and Devolved Governments. The total planted area as at 1st December was 3.196 million hectares, this compared to 2.611 million hectares planted at the same time last year. The table below shows the UK winter wheat area is 30% higher than the same time last year, returning to a level similar to that seen in December 2011. The dramatic increase is a result of better planting conditions seen last autumn. Winter barley area totals 433,000 hectares, this could result in the largest UK winter barley harvest since 2003, however this large area of winter cropping will limit the area available for spring varieties. Although the table shows an increase in oat area there was a significant area of spring oats planted last year; 177,000 hectares of oats were harvested in 2013, a 30-year high, a decline for harvest 2014 is expected. DECEMBER SURVEY OF UK PLANTED AREAS ‘000 Hectares Dec 2011 Dec 2012 Dec 2013 % Change 12-13 Winter Wheat 1,968 1,484 1,926 +30% Winter Barley 400 340 433 +27% Winter Oats 86 64 98 +53% Winter OSR 734 723 739 +2% Total 3,188 2,611 3,196 +22% Overall, the figures demonstrate a return to the norm following disastrous plantings last December. With crops looking good so far it is expected that the UK will once again become a net exporter of wheat, although there may be strong competition in the marketplace as wheat plantings across Europe are expected to be high.
