Record temperatures and an absence of rainfall have taken their toll on farming in Pembrokeshire but while grass growth and potato yields are under pressure, it has been an exceptional harvest for the county’s cereal growers.

Pembrokeshire had just over 60% of its normal rainfall between March and July and that has presented major challenges for some sectors with grass and other crops starved of moisture.

This will have repercussions for winter feed supply in the dairy and livestock sectors with smaller silage crops and many farms already feeding their winter stocks.

But combinable crop growers like Perkin Evans, who grows 1,000 acres of barley, wheat and oilseed rape in north Pembrokeshire, are reporting bumper yields.

“It has been a fantastic harvest, one of the best for many, many years,’’ says Mr Evans, who farms at Crug Glas, St Davids.

“We gained because although it has been very hot and dry it didn’t get to the point where we burnt up like the arable land in the east of the country.’’

With grain harvesting at a moisture level of 12-13%, he has made big financial savings on drying costs.

“We have never combined winter barley before and had to put it through the drier to cool it down before putting it in to store,’’ says Mr Evans.

Yields have been high too – some of his winter wheat came off the field at 4t/acre and the winter barley at 3.25t/acre.

“The oil seed rape has been tremendous too,’’ says Mr Evans.

He plans to harvest his bean crop next week. “It is looking promising, we will have to wait and see, but the grain we have in the barn already is outstanding.’’

But while grain prices are strong, input costs are stronger and that will have costly repercussions for production going forward.

“Grain prices have virtually doubled since last year but fertiliser prices have quadrupled,’’ says Mr Evans.

While grain yields are up, potato yields are down and an industry that started the year in oversupply is predicted to end the year with a market shortfall.

Meurig Raymond grows 400 acres of potatoes in north Pembrokeshire. He irrigated 60% of that crop with 10 million gallons of water from on-farm reservoirs.

That added to his costs. “It is a hugely expensive operation, with fuel and labour,’’ he says.

“But because we were able to do that yields are reasonable on that acreage but the 40% that we couldn’t irrigate will struggle on yield and quality.’’

There will be a higher percentage of small potatoes and those with skin blemishes, not up to the specification required by contracts.

Mr Raymond, of Trenewydd, Croesgoch, says supermarkets will have to revise their specifications or lose supply.

“It is going to be a big issue for the trade, a lot of the big retailers and packhouses will have to consider specification. Last year’s potato crop was over-supplied, this year’s is going to be the opposite.’’

Dry conditions have also meant a delay to harvesting while growers wait for yields to increase.

“People are waiting in the hope of that extra tonnage, to cover their costs,’’ says Mr Raymond.

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