SCOTLAND'S 2014 cereal harvest is estimated to be the largest in 20 years, with favourable conditions expected to have produced more than three million tonnes.
According to latest estimates released by Scotland's Chief Statistician, in total, around 3.3m tonnes of cereals are expected this year, an increase of just under half a million tonnes on 2013.
The longer-term trend of improving yields continues, with the average cereal yield for the last 10 years seven per cent higher than in the previous decade.
The figures show that the latest increase is due to an anticipated 15 per cent improvement in overall cereal yields over the last year.
The total area of land sown has increased by 461,000 hectares (ha). Overall yields are expected to average around 7.1t/ha, ranging from 6.4 for spring barley to 8.6 for wheat. Oilseed rape yields are expected to average around 4.1t/ha.
Wheat and winter barley have seen the largest estimated rises in production, both increasing by around 45 per cent.
Around a million tonnes of wheat, up from 600,000t and around 400,000t of winter barley, up from 280,000, are expected. Spring barley production is stable, despite a fall in the area grown, at around 1.7m tonnes.
Oats is the only major cereal crop to see reduced production, down seven per cent from 190,000 to 170,000t, which was expected following an 80 per cent increase in 2013 when oats replaced wheat and oilseed rape in part of the country.
l It has been another solid year for the H&H Group.
The company with its heritage in auctioneering, farming and the rural economy, has announced an annual pre-tax profit for the 2013/2014 financial year of £1.297m.
This is a 28 per cent increase on the previous financial year and is based on a total turnover of £14.39m.
The company operates all across the North of England and Scotland, with their head office and main operating centre based in Cumbria at Borderway, Carlisle.
l Market round-up: United Auctions sold 715 store heifers at Stirling on Wednesday to a top of 265.7 pence per kilogramme and an average of 209.9p (-5.3p on the week).
The the same sale, 1,561 store bullocks peaked at 271.2p and levelled at 221.2p (-6p).
One-hundred-and-ninety store B&W bullocks sold to 184.3p and averaged 144.1p (-11.9p), while 39 young bulls peaked at 239.1p and levelled at 214.2p.
In the rough ring 189 cows averaged 122.8p.
The firm also sold 3,395 store lambs.
Top prices and averages: Suffolks to £61 and averaged £57.43 (-£4.16 on the week); Texels £63 and £58.41 (-62p); Mules £64.50 and £58.14 (+£2.26); Cheviots £59 and £55.06 (+£5.33), BF £57 and £44.61 (-33p); Beltex £68.50 and £62.27.
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