Feedback from Scotland’s arable and potato growers on the status of 2020 crops show that water scarcity remains the major issue for most.
The latest update from the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) reports that scattered showers across the country have not been sufficient to alleviate the water scarcity situation across most of the country and groundwater levels continue to fall steadily.

According to SEPA, levels in the North East remain exceptionally low and in the South West and East of the country levels are also starting to fall below the normal range for the time of year. Above average rainfall would be required to reduce the drought risk over the summer.
Water sources used for irrigating farmland are at risk of becoming limited some parts. Farmers in these areas, especially if taking water from burns and small rivers, are asked to:
- Only irrigate when, and only as much as, absolutely necessary.
- Make sure irrigation equipment isn’t leaking.
- Try to irrigate at night to reduce evaporation losses.
- Explore how you and your neighbours in the same river catchment could avoid irrigating at the same time.
- Consider whether you could switch to using groundwater rather than river water if conditions worsen. If you would need a new borehole to do this, your local SEPA office will be able to help and advise.
The latest SEPA report is available at: https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/507781/20200610-ws-report.pdf
NFU Scotland’s Combinable Crops Chair, Willie Thomson, who farms at Wheatrig near Longniddry in East Lothian said: “At the start of June we had 43 millilitres of rain, and some useful showers since then, but nowhere near enough.
“Things remain exceptionally dry and some crops of wheat and barley, particularly those sown late this spring, are stressed and suffering. That means lower yields of both grain and straw.
“These are uncertain times, but we hope we will be lucky and catch some of the showers promised in the forecast over the next week. A good drop of rain would put all cereal farmers in better fettle.”
Potatoes Working Group Chair, Peter Grewar from Meigle in Perthshire said: “Potato crops are in their early stages of development so water is only crucial for some varieties for scab control at the moment.
“The Black Isle and Easter Ross had sufficient rain – more than 25 millilitres - last weekend (5 and 6 June) to keep them going for a period. Perthshire and Angus are drier but have still had 95% of their annual rainfall to the end of May, thanks mainly to a wet February.
“So far, there is minimal impact on the Scottish potato crop from the weather, but it is the weather from here on in that matters as we move through late June, July and August. In the drought of 2018, although yields were lower from the potato crop, the quality was excellent and among the best in Europe that year.
“Those who have invested in irrigation resilience will have no issues irrigating potato crops. Last year finished with a wet six months and February 2020 was one of the wettest on record, so some groundwater and those surface waters that are groundwater fed are holding up.”
David Bell, Vice Chair of the Combinable Crops Committee, from Balcarres Mains, Colinsburgh in Fife said: “The current dry weather is affecting all sectors and although we received some welcome rain in the East last week, it will have done very little to replenish the moisture deficit in the soil.
“All growing plants are feeling the stress, just like ourselves who depend on them, and crops are rapidly cycling through their growth stages. This is resulting in reduced yields of grass for grazing and silage and will greatly reduce cereal and straw yields in a few months when harvest starts.
“Irrigation is common on higher value fresh crops but with continued drought, we have to think about whether the water levels last to the end of the season and how we can protect the natural environment that depends on it.”
Other Crop reports from around the country
- Euan Walker Munro, Mains of Kinnetles, Forfar: “While recent rain has given a much-needed boost to get spring crops growing, patterned discolourations over differing soil types within winter sown wheats clearly indicate underlying crop stress from the earlier prolonged dry period.”
- Andrew Moir, Thornton Mains, Laurencekirk: “We have had some rain, so we have been fairly lucky in our patch. There are issues with some late sown spring crops but overall, we are in a good place and the rain last week will secure the winter crops. The heads have appeared on our wheat plants, pods are setting on oilseed rape, winter barley has finished flowering and spring barley has its flag leaf up so rain has gone a long way to securing this crop. Straw length is short, so there may be issues for our livestock farmers who need this straw to bed their animals in the winter. In the first five months of the year we had 163 millilitres of rain when our five-year average is 316 millilitres. But even farms nearby can have had a totally different spring. On one day we had 10 millilitres of rain while my near neighbour, only 2.5miles away, had 33 millilitres!
- David Bryce, West Cambusdrennie, Stirling: “It’s beginning to feel very like 2018 again. Crops round Stirling are very mixed. Where land is heavy there are real signs of moisture deficit. If crops got going with the little rain that was about in the spring then they are, overall, looking quite well. I don't think there is any question that new season straw will be scarce, and the price will depend on how much carryover stocks are available. Old season straw is now moving rapidly at good prices with a shortage anticipated next season.
- Neil White, Greenknowe, Duns, Berwickshire: “Crops are holding up not too badly considering the weather. Wheat has the ear fully out in most early sown crops and looks ok, maybe lacking a few tillers. Barley looks to have suffered the most but that may be because the poorer wheats were replaced with spring barley. I think straw will be very short on almost all crops and therefore the supply will be limited. I have some barley which has a nice head on it but very little straw so the straw may be chopped just to save wasting a balers time. Some peoples winter barley may have managed a little better than the spring barley which all looks very short in this area. Things are moving on relatively quickly and an early harvest looks on the cards at this stage.”
- Dave Young, Girvan Mains, Girvan, Ayrshire: Tattie crops are starting to look better now. Normally we drip plant from the end of January but the weather did not allow and everything was planted in March. Irrigation started two weeks after planting and hasn't stopped. A hard frost on 11 April cheacked the earlies which had started under polythene (a frost this late has never been sen for a generation). Those tatties started under polythene fared better as they were more hardened.
- Andrew Glover, Hall of Barnweill, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire: “Spring barley, the bare patches now have Barley growing although three weeks behind the rest of crops so a very uneven crop, this will effect yield of Barley and straw but not sure at to what percentage, too early to say. The crops vary from area to area so it’s hard to say exactly how short we will be in Straw. A lot depends on the East Coast as to how their crops are doing. Total rainfall this month was 23.3 millilitres, last month 49.7 millilitres - so enough to keep crops going.”
- Duncan Macalister, Glenbarr, Tarbert, Argyll: “Winter barley is looking well in the area with no drought issues. Spring barley is okay at the moment with early crops showing awns. The spring barley is rushing through growth stages, so straw would look to be short. No signs of burning yet and field drains are still running only just!”
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Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006