These figures reflect the position as at 1 July 2016 and there will have been changes since this time. Note also that grain carried over from the 2015 harvest was not estimated in this survey, although only a small percentage was left on farms; for a complete picture, this carry-over grain would need to be added to the figures reported herein.

Key Points at 1 July 2016 (figures have been rounded to nearest 100):
Final estimated average yields were very similar this season compared to last season, except that feed wheat yields were up 7% and feed oats yields were up 13% on last season. The most notable features of this report are as follows: For feed barley, the 2016 final harvest tonnage was estimated to be 22% down on the 2015 harvest, and the 2017 harvest hectares are predicted to be 41% down on the 2015 harvest hectares (this reflects a continuing decline in sowings over the last two seasons). For both feed wheat and feed barley, the tonnages of unsold grain have reduced considerably since the 1 April 2016 survey (by 53,400 and 60,300 t respectively).

Milling wheat: Estimated final total tonnage (113,400 t) was up 30% compared to last year’s harvest. Of this total, 90% has been sold (101,800 t), although most of the sold grain is still stored on farm (64%). The amount of unsold grain is 11,700 tonnes (10%), which is less than at the same time last year, 1 July 2015 (20,000 t). The amount of unsold grain decreased between 1 April and 1 July 2016 by 12,600 t (or 52%), as compared to a 3,900 tonne increase in unsold grain between the same dates last year.

Feed wheat: Estimated final total tonnage (343,700 t) was up 5% compared to last year’s harvest. Of this total, 70% has been sold (241,800 t), with 60% of the sold grain still stored on farm. The amount of unsold grain is 101,800 tonnes (30%), which is higher than at the same time last year, 1 July 2015 (37,700 t). The amount of unsold grain decreased considerably between 1 April and 1 July 2016 (down by 53,400 t, or 34%), as compared to an 11,400 tonne decrease in unsold grain between the same dates last year.

Feed barley: Estimated final total tonnage (282,300 t) was down 22% compared to last year. Of this total tonnage 71% has been sold (199,600 t), with 58% of the sold grain still stored on farm. The amount of unsold grain is 82,600 tonnes (29%), which is more than at the same time last year, 1 July 2015 (64,500 t). The amount of unsold grain decreased considerably between 1 April and 1 July 2016 (down by 60,300 t, or 42%), as compared to a 2,500 tonne increase in unsold grain between the same dates last year.

Other cereals: Compared to last year, estimated final total tonnage for malting barley (67,100 t) was down by 11%, milling oats (15,400 t) was down by 9%, and feed oats (17,600 t) was up by 46%. Malting barley had 8% of the total harvest unsold, while milling oats and feed oats had only 4% and 5% unsold, respectively, as at 1 July, 2016. Of the sold grain, 65% of malting barley was still on farm, as compared to

74% of milling oats and 39% of feed oats. Between 1 April and 1 July 2016, the amount of unsold grain decreased by 17% for malting barley, 65% for milling oats and 10% for feed oats.

Sowings and sowing intentions: The area sown in autumn/winter wheat or barley, as at 1 July 2016, was down 5% overall on autumn sowings plus intentions as at 1 April 2016. When autumn/winter sowings were combined with spring sowing intentions, the area sown or to be sown in wheat or barley was down overall by 8% as compared to the area harvested in 2016, or down by 17% on the area harvested in 2015.