Arable Farming

Faced with Covid-19 related contraction of demand for spring barley and oats, many growers will want to take advantage of the scrapping of the three crop rule and maximise wheat area this autumn.

Supporting farm income is the main reason for offering agricultural contracting services, according to a survey conducted by NFU Mutual.

Earlier drilled oilseed rape crops have managed to get up and away from early cabbage steam flea beetle (CSFB) grazing this season, but later drilled crops in some parts of the country are starting to suffer.

With the window to get winter crops drilled likely to be tight this year, following a later harvest in some areas, crop nutrition may be neglected.

Increasing levels of cercospora and rust are the latest concern for sugar beet growers after a difficult growing season which has seen establishment difficulties, high levels of virus yellows infection and drought.

The average treated yield for spring barley in 10 Recommended List (RL) trials is 7.79 tonnes/hectare, slightly above the five-year average (7.55t/ha).

The NEPG (North-Western European Potato Growers) have estimated that potato yields are at a five-year average level.

Potato seed and ware exports from the UK could be interrupted in a Brexit no deal scenario and there are signs that seed potato growers are looking to export potatoes before the transition period ends on December 31.

Sowing spring beans this autumn could help solve the problem of short winter bean seed stocks caused by the difficult growing season of 2020, according to new research by PGRO.