Adverse weather coupled with poor returns causing wider troubles
It is a mixed picture at present for Scotland’s harvest, with many areas running two weeks later than normal because of the particularly cold and wet summer.
NFU Scotland has been speaking to its members across the country to gather a picture of how farmers have been coping.
And with wider troubles of poor returns and higher input costs, a good spell of weather is needed to help get the sector back on track.
Following feedback from NFU Scotland members, all areas are suffering in some shape or form.
In Perthshire many have yet to start spring barley harvest, with yields of winter barley and oilseed rape (OSR) below average. For farmers in Ayrshire and Forth and Clyde, the situation is mainly the same, with low yields, and harvest running well behind schedule.
For Lothian and Borders, a slow harvest and colder temperatures has seen crops struggle. For some, the sowing of OSR has gone well, but the potential for insect damage remains.
In the North East, farmers have been seeing average yields, with wet weather, and many fields swamped while for some farmers in the Highlands, it has been the latest start they have had for spring barley cutting, and are keeping their fingers crossed for a good spell of weather.
It is a bleak picture for Caithness and Orkney, as harvest is a long way off, with low yields expected.
Ian Sands, NFU Scotland’s Combinable Crops Chairman, said: “Many regions are running two weeks later with their harvest than this time last year, with yields expected to be lower than normal.
“The adverse weather we have seen in recent months, coupled with the poor returns and high input costs, really threaten the viability of the cereal sector in Scotland. With such a wet summer and now moving into autumn, many will also be facing additional drying costs in a year when prices are very disappointing.
“At the same time, the arable sector is Scotland has carried virtually all the burden of meeting the ‘greening’ element of the new CAP. Gold plating by the Scottish Government around greening rules has impacted on our competitiveness.
“Fingers crossed but we desperately need a dry couple of weeks now to allow us to get the Scottish harvest back on track.”
NFU Scotland is currently carrying out its annual arable survey, coordinated by Crops Policy Manager Peter Loggie. Mr Loggie commented: “A lot of what we have so far is based on anecdotal evidence and provides a mixed picture across Scotland. In order to build evidence based on this we are currently running our Combinable Crops Survey 2015 which will help to form an independent harvest estimate for the Scottish Government.
“We ask all growers to participate, and a form can be obtained by emailing [email protected] or an electronic survey is available at: https://nfuresearch.nfuonline.com/wh/s.asp?k=143834095405 ”
MIXED PICTURE FOR 2015 HARVEST ACROSS SCOTLAND
