Facts and figures from harvest 2022
The Harvest Report 2022 published by Teagasc this week estimates that the production of cereals was 2.42 million tonnes in 2022.
This represents an increase of 93,200 tonnes (4%) from harvest 2021. There was record yields in spring barley, oilseed rape and spring oats. Ciaran Collins, Teagasc Crops Specialist, provides some of the key findings from the recently published Harvest Report 2022.
Highlings from the harvest report:
- Total cereal production increased by 4% in 2022 to 2.42 million tonnes.
- There was an overall increase in tillage area in 2022. Cereal area increased by 4.3%, winter oilseed rape increased by 45% and the total area of beans, including winter bean crops, was 11.5% higher than 2021.
- A record year for yield in spring barley, winter oilseed rape and spring oats was recorded.
- Average spring barley yield in 2022 was 8.1t/ha, which is the highest recorded yield for the crop surpassing the previous record of 8.0t/ha in 2019 and the 7.9t/ha recorded in both 2019 and 2021.
- A record yield of 5.1t/ha was recorded in winter oilseed rape, which is 0.6t/ha above the five-year average.
- Average yield of spring oats was 7.9t/ha, which is the highest yield recorded for spring oats exceeding the previous record of 7.7t/ha set in both 2021 and 2019.
- Average yield of winter wheat was 11.0t/ha, which equals the previous wheat record set in 2015.
- Weather conditions at harvest were excellent and all crops were harvested at lower than average moisture content. Yields are recorded at harvested moisture content.
- BYDV and Take all impacted on winter barley yield in southern and coastal counties, but overall average winter barley yield was only 0.22t/ha below the five-year average yield of 8.9t/ha with the average reflecting higher yielding crops in other parts of the country.
- Yield and quality of straw was excellent this season and straw was saved without addition cost due to excellent harvest weather. The straw market was back slightly on 2021, but the Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM) was very successful with a very high level of uptake in the scheme.
- It is estimated that the winter cereal area for 2023 has reduced by in excess of 30,000ha due to unfavourable weather conditions this autumn.
- The area of winter oilseed rape is estimated to have increased to 19,000ha due to a combination of an early finish to the harvest, planting opportunities in late August and a strong market for oilseeds.
Table 1: Cereal area, yield and production for 2021 and 2022
| Crops | 20221 Area ('000) ha | 2021* Area ('000) ha | Diff ('000) ha | % Diff * | 2022** Av. Yield (t/ha) | 2021* Av. Yield (t/ha) | 2022 $ Production '000 t | 2021* Production '000 t | Diff '000 t | % Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter wheat | 60.3 | 56 | 4.3 | 8 | 11.01 | 10.8 | 631 | 575 | 56.2 | 10 |
| Spring wheat | 6.7 | 6.0 | 0.6 | 11 | 7.91 | 8.21 | 50 | 47 | 3.1 | 7 |
| Winter barley | 73.6 | 67.3 | 6.3 | 9 | 8.68 | 9.42 | 607 | 602 | 4.8 | 1 |
| Spring barley | 116.7 | 116.1 | 0.6 | 1 | 8.10 | 7.89 | 898 | 870 | 28.0 | 3 |
| Winter oats | 15.0 | 13.9 | 1.1 | 8 | 9.20 | 9.32 | 131 | 123 | 8.4 | 7 |
| Spring oats | 13.1 | 14.4 | -1.3 | -9 | 7.90 | 7.72 | 98 | 106 | -7.3 | -7 |
| Total cereals | 285 | 274 | 11.7 | 4.3 | - | - | 2416 | 2323 | 93.2 | 4 |
| WOSR | 14.5 | 10 | 4.5 | 45 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 70 | 43 | 27.5 | 64 |
| Spring beans | 9.3 | 8.6 | 0.7 | 8 | 6.1 | 5.2 | 54 | 43 | 11.1 | 26 |
Notes: 1 Preliminary DAFM BPS figures. * CSO 2021 Area, Yield and Production of Crops. ** Teagasc estimates. $ Yields x Utilisable Area (Area x 0.95).
View the Harvest Report 2022 here.