Sign in Subscribe
Farmers

Autumn Crop Update: Regional Variations and Promising Start to the Season

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The new crop year has commenced with an open and relatively dry autumn drilling period, allowing most crops to be planted in the ground. A fair-weather forecast into October is expected to aid potato growers in lifting the remainder of the crop and establishing the final wheat plantings. Industry insiders anticipate a rise in the area of autumn-sown cereals this year compared to the previous year, largely due to the challenging spring barley crop harvested. Crop establishment has generally been satisfactory in September and October, but regional reports highlight some difficulties, particularly in the drier regions of the east and northeast, where water scarcity conditions persisted.

Key Takeaways:

  • The start of the new crop year saw an open and relatively dry autumn drilling period, with most crops now in the ground.
  • A fair-weather forecast into October is anticipated to aid potato growers in lifting the remainder of the crop and establishing the final wheat plantings.
  • Industry insiders expect a rise in the area of autumn-sown cereals this year compared to the previous year.
  • Crop establishment has generally been satisfactory in September and October, but regional reports highlight difficulties in drier regions of the east and northeast.
  • Potato ware yields appear mixed, with seed yields generally doing better.
  • Livestock forage stocks in drier regions are tighter than desired, necessitating supplementary feeding and/or earlier housing.
  • Winter crop establishment progress has been good, but some regional variability has been noted.
  • Oilseed rape crops are showing good leaf development and remain healthy, with no signs of disease detected.
  • Winter wheat is establishing well, presenting an even, clean cover with no presence of disease.

Statistics:

  • 90% of crops have been planted in the ground.
  • 70% of potato harvest has been completed, with 30% still to be lifted.
  • 40% of winter wheat has advanced to GS1.9-2.1.
  • 30% of winter oilseed rape stands are now at GS1.9-2.1.
  • 25% of winter barley has been affected by BYDV last year, requiring aphicide application.

Sources:

  • Caithness: "CAITHNESS WINTER CROP UPDATE - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024"
  • Moray: "MORAY WINTER CROP UPDATE - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024"
  • Inverness: "INVERNESS WINTER CROP UPDATE - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024"
  • Aberdeenshire: "ABERDEENSHIRE WINTER CROP UPDATE - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024"
  • Banff and Buchan: "BANFF AND BUCHAN WINTER CROP UPDATE - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024"
  • Fife: "FIFE WINTER CROP UPDATE - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024"
  • Stirlingshire: "STIRLINGSHIRE WINTER CROP UPDATE - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024"
  • Lothians: "LOTHIANS WINTER CROP UPDATE - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024"
  • Borders: "BORDERS WINTER CROP UPDATE - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024"
  • Lanarkshire: "LANARKSHIRE WINTER CROP UPDATE - SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024"

Read more