British wheat plantings up 10%

It put total wheat area for this harvest at 1.992m ha, with winter barley area down by 9%, to 361,000ha, and spring barley down by 26%, to 540,000ha.

Total barley area is pegged at 901,000ha - 21% lower, year-on-year. The oat area is 5% down, at 123,000ha, while oilseed rape plantings increased by 14%, to 661,000ha.

The HGCAs Variety Survey revealed a 1% increase in Group 1 milling wheat plantings, taking 17% of total wheat area. Group 2 varieties fell by 4%, to 15% of plantings, with Group 3 wheat down by 4%, to account for 11% of the wheat area.

Group 4 feed wheat varieties increased by 4%, to claim 51% of the planted crop.

Extended dry weather continued to cause concerns over yields, said ADASs latest crop development report. "Grain fill is a critical time for moisture stress and continued dry weather could impact on yields, particularly wheat and spring barley, which are at the start of the grain fill period. Spring barley is most at risk given the higher proportion of crops on light land, and shallower rooting."