Cereal and oilseed rape harvest - first estimates: 2020

2. First estimates suggest a good year for the overall 2020 harvest

Overall, 2020 has been another good year for the cereal harvest, with some small predicted increases for total cereal yield and production. 

However, while it has been a good year for spring barley and oats, other crops are expecting to see decreases in yield and production.

Wet autumn and winter conditions led to decreases in the area used to grow winter-planted crops and affected yields. A wide variability is expected across Scotland, with some areas benefiting from milder winter conditions.

Commonly used terms

Hectares: the official measurement of agricultural land. One hectare is 10,000 square meters or roughly the same as a full-size rugby pitch.

Production: the total amount of crops that are produced measured in metric tonnes.

Yield: the amount of produce, weighed in tonnes, that is harvested per hectare of land.