Farmers urged to inspect their maize as harvest could come earlier

Farmers have been urged to inspect their maize crops, as current hot and dry weather could bring harvest forward by two to three weeks.

Although there is huge crop variability depending on location, Amanda Clements from Volac explained that the summer’s record-breaking heat waves mean every crop in England and Wales will likely be ready for harvest earlier than usual. “There’s pressure to make the most of every tonne of maize, considering grass silage stocks are already low because of the drought. Plus, some missed the window to make wholecrop cereals due to rapid maturing during the heat. “Maize growing costs are also high at around £600-900/acre and it’s unlikely to be a bumper year, so the focus should be on routinely assessing crops to ensure they’re harvested at the right time to optimise nutritional value and clamp fermentation.” ‘Get out of the cab and inspect fields up close’ Ms Clements is advising farmers not to rely on the calendar, but to get into fields and properly assess crops. She also stresses the importance of not judging crops from the road, urging growers to get out of the cab and inspect ...