UK wheat crop increases as planted area climbs

The United Kingdom’s wheat harvest rose 7.3% this year to 11.96 million metric tons, the farming and environment ministry said on Thursday, as a larger planted area offset a slight drop in yields.

The ministry said the wheat area rose by 9.1% to 1.7 million hectares while yields fell by 1.7% to 7.2 tons per hectare.

Barley output was seen at 6.37 million tons, down 10%, with the spring barley crop down 16% at 3.89 million while winter barley output rose 1.2% to 2.47 million.

The ministry also estimated the UK rapeseed crop had risen by 7% to 893,000 tons in a modest recovery after a steep decline in recent years.

UK rapeseed production peaked at 2.76 million in 2011 but the crop has fallen out of favour in recent years partly because of extensive problems with flea beetles after a ban on some widely used insecticides in an effort to protect bees.
Source: Reuters