The 2025 cereal harvest in NI has started with combines hitting the first areas of winter barley last week.

While a limited acreage has been harvested so far in the northwest, there has been more progress made in the south and southeast of NI.

Initial reports from growers indicate strong yields of around 3.5 tonnes per acre, with the best crops closing in on four tonnes per acre for early varieties of both two and six row barley.

Moisture levels in winter barley are also impressive for this early stage of harvest.

Reports from local growers range from 18% moisture, right down to 12.5%.

The hot temperatures last weekend played a big role in helping to ripen crops.

More winter barley harvesting is expected to take place over the coming days as weather permits.

For most growers in NI, the stars have aligned for winter barley this season, starting with a dry autumn which allowed for timely and favourable establishment.

Then fine weather in the spring led to early applications of fertiliser which helped maximise crop productivity.

After that, the prolonged spell of dry, bright weather in the late spring boosted grain fill.

The only issue for some was lengthy spells without rainfall which caused drought stress in crops.

For crops on very dry soils, drought stress has been a big issue and it is now being reflected in disappointing yields at harvest.

However, most growers indicate that rainfall seemed to arrive just in time throughout the season to help avoid dry conditions negatively impacting crop health.

With harvest only beginning, prices for green barley are still to materialise and there is little information on straw prices so far.

That said, local growers are hopeful the straw trade will pick up where it left off in the spring when 4X4 bales were making around the £30 mark.