Harvest 2026 is in full swing, however, the coming weeks will see the start of the 2026/2027 planting season.

Mid-August marks the time when the first winter oilseed rape crops of a new planting year are drilled.

The area of oilseed rape planted out in Ireland has increased over recent years. And there is every prospect of this trend being maintained in 2026/2027.

International oilseed and protein markets remain buoyant with the prospect of this remaining the case for the foreseeable future.

Early drilling 

Aiding this cause is the fact that most growers now have a window of opportunity between the winter and spring cereal harvests.

While growers can drill rape up to mid-September, a day’s growth in August is worth a week’s growth in the following month.

In addition, earlier drilled crops are often better coming into the winter months which can help to reduce pigeon grazing.

Earlier drilling can also reduce the impact of slugs and other pests, as the crop tends to grow that bit faster and get through the critical growth phases.

Growers should ensure that the new oilseed rape crop is rolled immediately after drilling and this will help establishment and reduce the activity of slugs.

Varieties

When choosing varieties, growers should consider a number of traits.

These include: pod shatter resistance; light leaf spot resistance; and turnip mosaic virus resistance. These characteristics play an important role in the final yield that can be achieved.

Growers often look at the overall yield rating of a variety first before looking at anything else.

However, where oilseed rape is concerned, the likes of pod shatter resistance play a critically important role in determining the yield that is actually achieved in store.

Growers should aim to drill about 60-80 plants/m² and establish 30-40 plants/m².

Once the crop emerges, it is a case of keeping an eye out for slug damage and then apply pellets, if required.

The best weed control is usually achieved by using pre-emergence herbicides. These products tend to have a broader spectrum than post emergence options.

Oilseed rape normally follows winter barley within a crop rotation. And there should be ample time to make this happen in 2026.

Winter oilseed rape is a very useful break crop for a number of reasons: weed control, disease breaks and the more even spread of workload.

But, at current prices, it also presents growers with the opportunity to leave a good margin.