NFU: Figures suggest big harvest despite difficult conditions

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Tuesday, 07, Oct 2008 12:00

Initial figures released by the NFU today suggest this year’s harvest will prove to be big despite farmers enduring some of the most difficult conditions for decades.

The figures, which are based on yield estimates from the NFU's Arable Crops Survey and Defra area estimates for wheat in England, show yield has increased from an average of 7.7 tonnes per hectare over the past five years to 8.2 tonnes per hectare this year, an increase of 6.5 per cent on the five-year average yield. The increase was largely due to excellent planting conditions last autumn and exceptional growing conditions during the season. It is believed that average yield might have been larger but for exceptionally difficult harvesting conditions this summer which meant later cut crops suffered yield losses.

Defra area estimates show farmers responded to demand for food by increasing plantings in England by 13.5 per cent on last year, and 10.7 per cent on the five-year average, to 1.936 million hectares. The planted area in 2008 combined with the increase in yield gives a total estimated wheat harvest for this year of 15.967 million tonnes, 18 per cent up on the five-year average of 13.521 million tonnes.

Ian Backhouse, chairman of the NFU combinable crops board, said: "To a large extent the experience in England this year mirrors increased wheat production across Europe and expectations for the global harvest.

"We understand from provisional HGCA data that milling quality is better than last year and, while results are mixed, on average quality is very good, showing that crops harvested before the worst of the rain will have broadly met bread flour milling specification. We are looking to millers to make use of as much of the UK crop as possible in a year where quality has been difficult to achieve across the EU.

"Despite the exceptionally difficult harvest, and losses to yield for later harvested crops, 2008 shows what has been achieved by farmers genuinely responding to markets combined with exceptional growing conditions for cereal crops here and abroad. It also shows the importance of research and development and science and technology in increasing food production.”

The NFU's full UK annul harvest survey will be released later in October when further data become available.

Notes for editors:

Yield results in 2007 were significantly down against average output at around ten per cent lower than expected after an extended drought in the spring and severe summer flooding damaging yields.

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The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members.