Winter Cereals

Winter cereals is the term used to describe autumn drilled wheat, barley and oats. The area of winter cereals in Ireland was traditionally around 100,000 ha but has increased to around 150,000 ha in recent years, mainly due to an increase in the area of winter barley. Winter wheat and barley dominate the area with around 70,000 ha each, whereas only 10,000 ha of winter oats are drilled each year. For detailed sown areas of each crop grown log on to the cso website at: https://www.cso.ie/en/statistics/agriculture/areayieldandproductionofcrops/

About Winter Cereals

In each crop category (wheat, barley and oats) there are a number of different varieties sown each year. Growers primarily drill varieties which feature on the Department of Agriculture National Recommended Lists for each crop. Yield increases from plant breeding, in the order of 1% per year, which have increased yield of Irish crops to the highest in the world. The current recommended lists are available on the Department of Agriculture website at: https://www.gov.ie/en/publications/

Winter Cereals: Yields

Winter cereals generally have higher yields than spring cereal crops however they are more expensive to grow. Therefore achieving good yields is important for profitability.

Winter Wheat

	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
National Yield(t/ha)	7.2	9.3	10.2	10.7	9.7	10.3	8.91
National Area (ha)	83,300	45,400	65,100	55,300	59,700	60,300	53,900

Winter Wheat Profit Monitor Analysis 2017 (pdf)

Teagasc have published a comprehensive to growing Winter Wheat which collates research and best practice for obtaining high yields. The guide combines crop production research focusing on understanding how winter wheat yields are formed and best practice how to achieve this. The Winter Wheat Guide (PDF)

Winter Barley

	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
National Yield (t/ha)	9.5	9.3	10.2	8.6	9.10	8.8
National Area(ha)	36,000	60,100	69,800	73,800	63,300	57,200

• Winter Barley.Profit Monitor Analysis 2017 (pdf)

Winter Oats

	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
National Yield (t/ha)	8.1	8.7	9.2	8.3	8.9	7.8
National Area(ha)	5,400	10,100	11,400	12,900	14,000	10,100

• Winter Oats Profit Monitor Analysis 2017

Read also: Oats: Food and Crop product potential (pdf)

Data taken from www.cso.ie

Generally winter cereals are sown from mid- September to mid November.  Due to restricted growth after mid November, little or no cereals are sown after this date until mid to late January.

The market outlet for winter wheat and winter barley is almost all for animal feed (pigs, poultry, dairy and cattle ration, etc.) with a proportion of winter oats going for milling (used to make porridge).