Wheat crops in the UK show best performance in three years

Winter wheat crops in the United Kingdom are in their best condition for late March in three years. According to AHDB, 82% of crops were rated good or excellent as of 23 March 2026—just one percentage point below late November levels and significantly higher than the 67% recorded in late March 2025.

Despite an exceptionally wet winter, field conditions have improved notably in recent weeks. While some isolated areas remain waterlogged, most soils have drained better than expected, supporting crop development. Pest and weed pressure also remains low, largely due to effective autumn herbicide applications.

At the same time, growers are beginning to monitor rising disease pressure in winter wheat, particularly from septoria and yellow rust. Although overall levels remain low, certain varieties require closer observation and may need fungicide treatments if pressure increases.

Other winter crops are also performing strongly. Winter barley is in its best March condition since 2023, with 85% rated good or excellent. Winter oats are at 88%, exceeding results from recent years, while winter oilseed rape stands at 84%, likely marking its best condition rating since records began.

Spring drilling has started after delays caused by wet soils, progressing steadily on lighter land while heavier fields still require more drying. As of 23 March, around 2% of spring barley and 6% of spring wheat had emerged. While the outlook for the 2026 harvest is promising, rising input costs—particularly for fertilisers—continue to put pressure on farm profitability.

Tags: UK, crop condition