Lang
United Oilseeds, the UK break crop specialist cooperative, is forecasting that average national oilseed rape (OSR) yields will surpass 4 tonnes per hectare for the first time in history during the 2025-26 harvest, potentially establishing a new benchmark for the crop and reinforcing a growing wave of optimism among British growers.
Based on annual harvest data compiled from its members across the country, the cooperative indicated that early signals suggest this year's crop could comfortably outperform long-term averages.
For context, AHDB figures place the UK's 10-year average OSR yield at around 3.3 t/ha, while the five-year average heading into the 2025 season stood at approximately 3.1 t/ha. The AHDB already reported a national average yield of 3.7 t/ha in 2025, one of the highest levels recorded since 2017.
With England's harvest largely complete and Scotland's rapidly drawing to a close, reports from growers across the UK point to a crop that has consistently exceeded expectations, according to United Oilseeds.
The 2025-26 season is set to be remembered for prolonged dry weather across large parts of the country, but oilseed rape has demonstrated one of its greatest strengths: resilience. The cooperative points to the crop's deep-rooting nature, which enables it to access moisture from deeper layers of the soil profile, helping maintain performance during periods of drought stress.
'Throughout the growing season, many United Oilseeds members reported crops looking exceptionally well, with some describing OSR as their best-performing break crop and, in several cases, the best-paying crop on the farm,' the cooperative noted.
Looking ahead, the cooperative highlighted that higher-performing varieties, improved understanding of cabbage stem flea beetle management, stronger establishment strategies and favourable market dynamics are collectively helping restore confidence in the crop.
'If harvest results continue on their current trajectory, with average yields exceeding 4 t/ha, 2026 may well be remembered as the season that confirmed OSR's place as one of the most valuable and resilient crops in the UK rotation,' the cooperative added.
Source: Farmers Weekly