Wheat plantings in the UK have bounced back by 6%, offering a much-needed boost amid a tough outlook for the country’s 2025 crop season.
The latest 2025 AHDB Planting Survey has highlighted a modest rebound in the wheat planting area, providing a note of resilience amid an otherwise uncertain crop outlook.
Wheat plantings increased by 6% year-on-year, reaching 1,623 thousand hectares (Kha), slightly exceeding forecasts made in AHDB’s Early Bird Survey last November.
Nonetheless, the total wheat area remains below the five-year average, reflecting the ongoing effects of a wet start to the 2024/25 planting season in some regions.
Millie Askew, AHDB lead analyst said: “Growers had to fight the weather again last autumn to try to get back to their desired rotations after being forced to change the previous year, but this survey indicates it’s not been possible for everyone.
“The larger wheat area will help to mitigate the impact on 2025 production from the very dry spring we had this year. But there’s a lot of uncertainty over the prospects for all crops, including wheat, after such a dry spring.”
Adverse weather conditions last autumn also contributed to a 7% decline in winter barley plantings, with crop economics and rotation requirements further influencing grower decisions.
Combined with a 6% fall in spring barley, the total barley area across Great Britain has dropped 6% year-on-year to 1,101 Kha.
In contrast, the dry spring aided planting, helping to limit the decline in spring barley and encouraging an increase in oat plantings. The UK oat area is estimated to have risen 13% year-on-year to 207 Kha, the largest since 2020.
The closure of Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) applications in England may have prompted some growers to switch towards spring cropping, with further data on agri-environment scheme participation expected soon.
Meanwhile, the area dedicated to oilseed rape in Britain fell sharply by 19% to 236 Kha — the smallest since the early 1980s — due to pest pressures, unfavourable weather, poor returns, and alternative options under the SFI scheme.
What are the survey's key findings?
AHDB's latest survey was conducted between 7 April and 16 May 2025. The key findings are:
• The total UK wheat area is estimated at 1,623 Kha, a 6% increase from last year’s four-year low, yet still slightly below the five-year (2020–2024) average of 1,648 Kha.
• The UK oat area has risen 13% year-on-year to 207 Kha, reaching the highest level since 2020.
• The total barley area in Great Britain is down 6% year-on-year to 1,101 Kha, 6% below the five-year average of 1,176 Kha, with a larger drop in winter barley and a smaller decline in spring barley than initially projected.
• The oilseed rape area in Britain has fallen sharply by 19% to 236 Kha — the lowest since 1983 and 32% below the five-year average of 346 Kha.
• The total cereals area in GB edged up by 1% from 2024 to 2,918 Kha in 2025, despite mixed changes across individual crops, though still below 2023 levels (2,991 Kha).
• The combined cereals and oilseeds area remains virtually unchanged at 3,154 Kha, down just 0.5%, yet still below the ten-year average of 3,498 Kha, primarily due to the steep decline in oilseed rape planting.
