The area of winter crops sown this autumn should remain largely in line with 2026, according to members of the seed trade who spoke to the Irish Farmers Journal this week.
Most crops are now planted, with some winter wheat after potatoes and beet still to go in.
The areas of winter oilseed rape and hybrid rye have risen while oats are rebounding to the level we have seen in recent years after falling away in 2026.
“The winter crops areas are holding up reasonably well,” according to Donal Fitzgerald of Goldcrop. “The winter area overall is at least the same as last year with conditions being so good for sowing.”
Seedtech’s Tim O’Donovan says that winter barley will probably hold its own but winter wheat may decline in line with the increases in oats, oilseed rape and rye.
Brian Reilly of Drummonds noted that the winter cropping area is up by 20 to 30% in the northeast. The winter wheat and barley areas are steady while oats have recovered and the winter oilseed rape area has jumped too.
