Talking arable with Ian Matts: 'The sooner I can put this year’s OSR behind us the better'

As I write harvest has not yet begun for us, but it is imminent.

The winter barley is close, although we may have to be patient to let a shower pass before we can get going and the straw will take a bit of time to be fit.

The straw is likely to be the determining factor, particularly the hybrids as there is so much of it. This will be the latest start for a few years, and whilst this should bode well for yields, it is going to put the pressure on finishing in reasonable time.

Last year was the first of the new combines, with greater output and larger headers, but being such a straightforward harvest, they were never really tested.

Although I do not wish to be too pessimistic, I think it’s fair to say we are unlikely to have quite such a smooth harvest this year.