Harvest progress report: 21 July 2025
For the next few weeks, each Monday we are sharing the first-hand accounts of farmers across the country during the UK harvest.
Here’s a round-up of harvest progress from Hectare Trading users across the country.
South
In East Sussex and Wiltshire, the barley harvest seems complete for most farmers we spoke to, who reported good yields across the board.
OSR has also been wrapped up in Wiltshire, where cutting finished last week.
Wheat harvest is just starting to take off across the South. A few fields have been cut in East Sussex, though rain has temporarily halted progress. In Wiltshire, wheat harvest is underway and performing well so far—matching the strong barley yields. In Hertfordshire, growers expect to begin cutting winter wheat toward the end of this week.
East
Barley harvest is still ongoing in Norfolk, in Essex, the farmers we spoke with had finished cutting.
OSR harvest has begun in both Essex and Suffolk, with cutting progressing steadily across the region.
Wheat harvest is also now underway in parts of the East. Essex growers have begun cutting winter wheat, with early reports pointing to high protein levels but low yields. Suffolk is also seeing active wheat harvesting, and in Cambridgeshire, wheat cutting is expected to begin this week.
Midlands
Winter barley harvest is well underway across the region, though not without setbacks. In Northamptonshire, some growers have started barley, but wet weather has stalled progress. Yields so far are reported to be disappointing. In Worcestershire, barley harvest is complete, and in Warwickshire, growers have also wrapped up their barley cutting. In Powys, winter barley is done and growers are preparing to move onto oats next.
OSR harvest is underway in Gwent, with first fields being cut. Warwickshire growers also expect to begin OSR harvest soon—likely within the next few weeks.
Wheat is edging closer. In Worcestershire, some farmers had hoped to start wheat this week, but damp conditions have delayed progress. In Warwickshire, wheat is expected to be ready in the coming weeks, while in Powys, growers are looking at another fortnight before cutting begins.
North
Barley harvest has begun across the North, though progress varies. In County Durham, Charles Watson of HR Dent and Sons reports they finished their winter barley harvest early last week with excellent yields—averaging 10.9 tonnes per hectare!
Meanwhile, in South Yorkshire, wet weather has delayed harvesting. Farmers who haven’t yet started are predicting lower yields, with conditions impacting crop quality.
OSR harvest is expected to begin later this week in County Durham, while early signs from West Yorkshire point to a potentially strong crop this year.
Wheat has yet to begin in most northern areas, with growers still waiting for crops to mature and conditions to improve.
Scotland
Winter barley harvest is now underway in Angus and Perthshire, with both areas just starting to cut this week. This marks an earlier-than-usual start to harvest across the region.
OSR is expected to follow shortly, though cutting has not yet begun.
