Small decrease in the total area of cereals and oilseeds compared with five year average

In 2024, 469,800 hectares were used to grow cereals and oilseeds, a decrease of 0.3% when compared with the five year average (471,300 hectares).

The sown area for wheat, barley and oats only was 426,000 hectares in 2024, a decrease of 0.9% when compared with the five year average (429,700 hectares).

Cereals have a strong association with the whisky industry. Both barley and wheat, the two biggest crops in terms of land area, are used to make whisky. Barley made up 64% of the total area used to grow cereals and oilseeds in 2024, similar to the five year average proportion. Around 21% of the total cereal and oilseeds area was used to grow wheat in 2024, again similar to the five year average.

The area used to grow oats decreased by 11% compared with the five year average. The area used to grow oilseeds increased by 6.0% compared with the five year average. For oilseed rape only, the sown area decreased by 10% when compared with 2023 but remains above the five year average. Other crops grown  (rye, triticale and mixed grain) form a small proportion of land area for crops amounting to 7,100 hectares in 2024.

Figure 3: Area of cereals and oilseeds, 2014 to 2024