The tillage crop area has increased by 1% according to preliminary figures published by the Department of Agriculture calculated from BISS applications.

Table 1 shows an increase of 1,840ha in the main tillage crop area since 2024. The good weather in the autumn for planting looks to have helped that increase.

Winter barley area increased by just over 14,000ha to 57,210ha, while winter wheat area increased by 18,870ha. Winter wheat at 59,395ha has returned to 2022 levels.

Overall, oats usually balance out between winter and spring, but this year the total area looks to have increased by almost 3,800ha.

Spring barley area declined dramatically by 22,922ha, which was not a surprise given the increase in winter cereal area.

Declines were expected in beans and oilseed rape area. Beans area declined by about 4,000ha to about 14,000ha and oilseed rape area declined by a similar amount to about 11,800ha.

The potato area declined by an estimated 745ha. This 745ha decline in potato area equates to 8% of the total area, which is very significant.

Rye saw a big jump in area, increasing by almost 40% to 3,717ha.

Maize area was also expected to decline, but it probably held stronger than anticipated, falling by 1,390ha to almost 22,000ha. Beet area declined by almost 300ha.

Fallow

So, it looks like crops associated with tillage farmers have all increased and those most associated with livestock farmers have gone down, like maize for example. Some rye may be for wholecrop.

As a result, it is hard to see where the extra area came from as the price of land rental, pressure on land from other sectors and poor tillage incomes all make it difficult for the area to increase.

Looking closely at the overall cropping figures, the area of fallow land (land left idle) has declined. This area increased in 2024 following a wet winter and wet spring.

In 2024, the area of fallow increased from 2,364ha to 3,487ha. In 2025, the area of fallow has gone back down to 2,089ha, a decline of 1,398ha. This could possibly have returned to tillage.

Targets

The recovery in area is a positive development. However, 344,000ha of tillage is still way behind the target to increase the tillage area to 360,000ha by this year (2025) and 400,000ha by 2030 under the Climate Action Plan.

Comment

A 1% increase in the area of tillage crops grown is positive, but really the area is just stable with a recovery of land from fallow. In reality, grain prices are at low levels at present, at €185/t for green barley, with no sign of increasing. The average income on tillage farms in 2024 was €30,000 according to Teagasc. The increase in winter cropping area will help incomes in 2024, but price and the reduction in grain demand from the drinks sector will make it difficult to increase.

No scheme has been implemented from the Food Vision for Tillage Report which was published in May 2024, and if funding does come it will not be until the budget in the autumn, when oilseed rape is planted and winter cereals are going in the ground.

Support is no doubt needed to increase area and meet targets. The IFA is looking for €65m/year for five years.