Strutt & Parker Yield Results | Harvest 2019

The average yield of winter wheat for harvest 2019 was 9.9t/ha, 17% higher than in 2018 and 7% higher than the five-year average.

At a Glance:

The average yield of winter wheat for harvest 2019 was 9.9t/ha, 17% higher than in 2018 and 7% higher than the five-year average. First wheat yields were 4% higher than the five-year average and second wheat yields were 15% better.

Winter barley performed better than in 2018. Yields averaged 8.8t/ha, which is 14% higher than in 2018 and 12% above the five-year average. Spring barley yields were also higher, up 23% on 2018 levels and 9% above the five-year average.

Winter oilseed rape performed very similarly to 2018, averaging 3.4t/ha in both years, which is the five-year average. We will keep an eye on yields, as the full impact of the increase in cabbage stem flea beetle damage becomes clear.

Average yields for 2019

Yields were higher than in 2018 for all of the main crops.

Range of yields

We have divided our sample so it is possible to see what the bottom 25% yield is, the average and the top 25% (as well as the minimum and maximum yields). For most cereal crops there is a 2t/ha range in the middle 50% of yields, which can greatly affect profitability

Yield by soil type

Wheat yields were above average on all soils apart from lighter chalk loams, where they averaged 9.4t/ha, 1% lower than in 2018 and 6% lower than the five-year average. On heavy clay soils, wheat averaged 10.6t/ha, which is 23% higher than in 2018, and 12% above the five-year average, and on medium clay loams it averaged 9.9t/ha, 18% higher than in 2018 and 8% higher than the five-year average.

For first wheats, yields were 15% higher than in 2018 and 4% above the five-year average.

Yield by farm type

For the first time, the data shows a significant difference in winter wheat yields between in hand farms (10.2t/ha average in 2019) and Contract Farming Agreements (9.5t/ha). We will watch this trend over time to assess whether it is real, long-term and what could be causing it.

Download the full report for further detail and for interpretation for each crop by our agronomy team