Farmers asked to complete survey that will deliver insight into harvest 2025
4th April 2025
Growers are being encouraged to complete AHDB’s annual Planting and Variety Survey (PVS), which is set to deliver an early insight into harvest 2025.
The survey launches on Monday, 7th April, so the board can announce the results in mid-June – a month earlier than usual.
AHDB explained that this is an essential industry insight that enables farmers to make well-informed business decisions, and the board wants to make sure they have the information as early as possible. This can only happen if enough growers complete the survey.
The PVS is the only annual pre-harvest survey that gives an early estimate of what might be available from the upcoming cereals and oilseed rape harvest in the UK. It breaks down the information by crops and by UK flour miller group and malting or non-malting approved barley.
Cereal and oilseed rape growers are asked to submit information on crop and variety areas for the upcoming harvest (harvest 2025), plus information on the previous harvest (harvest 2024) to understand change year-on-year. All crop areas count, whether owned or rented.
AHDB uses these year-on-year changes to give insight into the UK crop areas. It is also collecting information on the uptake of agri-environment schemes to help understand the potential impact of these on cereal production.
Producing accurate and reliable data
Millie Askew, lead analyst (cereals and oilseeds), explained that the survey is vital in helping arable farmers to plan for the next year.
“Knowing more about our domestic market, such as the regional supply of cereal and oilseed rape crops, can help marketing decisions. By working together, we can produce accurate and reliable data to quantify domestic production.
“However, the success of the survey depends on the voluntary support of those who are willing to take part. We are grateful to everyone who filled in a form last year, whether online or by post, and we look forward to receiving even more responses in 2025.”
The results of this year’s survey will be presented at the Cereals Event 2025.
They will also be published on the AHDB website on 10th June 2025.
To complete the Planting and Variety Survey, click here. The survey is open between Monday 7th April and Friday 16th May 2025.
Some growers will have received a postal form to complete; the deadline to return this is Monday 12th May 2025.
Read more arable news.
