The Agricultural and Horticultural Board (AHDB) is confirming that UK Harvest 2025 is almost wrapped up in most regions.
Considerable variation in yields across the country within regions and even within farms can best describe the results that have been achieved. according to the board.
Even where yields have been above expectations, price declines throughout the course of the year will have a significant impact on profitability and cash flow for arable farms, the AHDB said.
For those recording low yields, the situation looks even more challenging. This is exacerbated by two difficult years, 2024 and 2025, occurring consecutively.
Harvest 2025
Overall, AHDB said the harvest has progressed well and is now complete in England with the exception of some pulses.
In parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland there remain cereals left to be cut. Overall, the wheat harvest is fractionally away from being finished (99.8% complete).
With weather having broken across much of the UK this week, progress has slowed in the last seven days.
While rainfall is positive for those carrying out cultivations and establishing oilseed rape, it is a frustrating end to harvest for those with crops left to cut.
As with cereal grain yields, straw yields this season are highly variable. Very small swaths have been seen in regions.
Some have reported a higher acreage being baled this year in response to smaller volumes. This echoes last season, where the area baled increased.
Winter barley
As with all crops across all the UK all regions, there is significant farm-to-farm variability in winter barley yields.
The many different drivers include soil type and local rainfall levels, grass weed pressures, and varietal choice, to name a few.
For farmers in the AHDB survey, winter barley yields ranged from 4.8 t/ha to 7.9 t/ha, highlighting the significant variability between farms.
Winter oilseed rape
Yields of rape crops harvested before Storm Floris were generally good. But those harvested after experienced yield losses owing to seeds being knocked out of pods.
The national average yield for rape is calculated to be 3.7t/ha, based on the results from farms in this survey. This is up 20% on the five-year (2020-2024) average and the joint highest since 2015, in line with 2022.
As with all other crops in this report, there is significant variation in the yields reported in the survey. These yields range from 9% below the five-year average to 42% above the five-year average.
Wheat
According to the AHDB, it is estimated that 99.8% of the wheat crop has now been cut in the UK. This is ahead of the pace in the past two years and in line with 2022.
Some areas are left to be cut on farms in Scotland, although the harvest is 97.6% complete there.
The wheat harvest has had arguably the greatest level of variation so far. There is significant variation in yield between and within farms, regions and across the UK.
While some farms have performed notably well, a large number have also had some of the worst years on recent records.
Some 26% of the farms in the AHDB survey are down on yield by 10% or more against their five-year average.
The lowest reported during the survey is a 21% decline against the farms’ five-year average wheat yield.
The extent of variability also makes it particularly challenging to draw national and regional pictures about yields this season.
AHDB is currently estimating the average UK wheat yield at 7.6t/ha. This is 6.1% below the 10-year average.
