THE HARVESTING of what is expected to be a bumper cereal crop, the second largest ever in the State, began at the weekend in the southeast.
However, the wet weather has caused delays in many parts of the country. While combine harvesters were out in Clonmel and in Cork harvesting the first of the winter barley, dairy and beef farmers are still waiting to get the bulk of the silage and hay crop.
Reports from the west coast suggest that only half of the silage and hay crop which would normally be saved at this time of year, has been secured.
The main problem for silage makers is that the heavy machinery required for the task cannot travel on wet land even though the weather may be dry.
Farmers and agricultural contractors contacted yesterday estimated that the silage harvest was at least two weeks behind schedule, especially in the midlands which has taken the brunt of the recent wet weather.
In the west, it has been reported that the cutting of hay and silage by contractors had only been 50 per cent completed.
“We just cannot get out in the fields because they are too wet and it looks as if this is going to continue for some time,” said one Galway-based contractor who said his earnings for the season so far are 60 per cent down on recent years.
However, Teagasc tillage expert Jim O’Mahony confirmed that the weather had been good enough last weekend for winter barley harvesting to begin.
“I believe we are looking at a bumper harvest because there was a huge increase in the area of cereals planted because of the prices being paid for crops,” he said.
He said winter wheat plantings had gone from 64,700 hectares to 83,000 and winter barley from 18,700 hectares to 23,000 and the oats plantings had increased from 13,500 hectares to 18,000.
“If we get the proper weather, I believe we will have a bumper harvest of 2.3 million tonnes.Our best ever harvest was 2.5 million tonnes in 2004,” he said
“However, we will have to wait and see because all this depends on the weather.”