COUNTRY FOCUS: THE UNITED KINGDOM
Unseasonably wet and windy weather lowered 2023 yields and production levels for nearly all of the United Kingdom’s main cereal crops, and similar conditions are dampening prospects for 2024. According to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), wheat harvest in 2023 was estimated at 14 million tonnes, a drop of 10% from 2022, while oat production fell 18% to 830,000 tonnes. Barley production was just under 7 million tonnes, a decline of 5.7%, while rapeseed production fell 11% to 1.2 million tonnes, Defra said.
In addition to the weather challenges, the UK is dealing with the fallout of Brexit, its official departure from the European Union in 2020. Leaving the EU led to changes in the UK’s agricultural production and trade policy. The UK has since signed Free Trade Agreements with Australia, New Zealand and the free trading bloc known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. It is negotiating further agreements with Canada, the Gulf Cooperation Council and India.
The AHDB noted at the end of March that the national condition of wheat was considerably worse than usual, with just 34% rated in good-or-excellent condition. It said overall crop expectation for 2024 is low and how crops develop in the next month is key. Total barley area in 2024 is expected to increase 8% to 1.236 million hectares, with a sharp drop in winter areas offset by higher spring barley planting intentions, the AHDB said. Total area for 2024 is expected to drop 28%, reflecting the poor growing conditions in fall and winter. Only 31% of the winter oilseed crop is rated as in good-or-excellent condition. Prospects for harvest are looking poor nationally, the AHDB said.
(Link: WorldGrains)
