View from the East by Dr Keith Dawson

THE splendid dusty golden colours of harvest are rapidly being succeeded by the browns and greens of autumn as the glorious annual cycle of fruition and new growth continues in Ukraine.

The wheat harvest was accelerated at its conclusion by high temperatures which hit grain fill and yields in both winter and spring wheat crops.

Whilst yields were down 0.5-0.75t/ha on last season, breadmaking quality is higher and fusarium levels much lower than last season. This is in stark contrast to French crops, where late season rain has hit grain quality badly.

As you may recall, last year we were drilling into desert-like conditions, a risk which paid off in the west of Ukraine as rains eventually fell. Many in the east did not drill and replaced autumn wheat with either spring wheat or sunflowers, with a record area for Ukraine ensuing.

This year, soil conditions are again dry but there has been just enough rain to chit oilseed rape and drilling was completed 10 days earlier than last year.

The most forward crops are now at the four leaf stage and soil herbicides have worked well with the limited surface moisture. The problem this year may be that of too advanced growth going into winter and growth regulation will be critical with generic tebuconazole and chlormequat.

We surely cannot get a third mild dry winter in a row in these parts? The soil at depth is still bone dry and this is causing bruising problems with potatoes and too much clod being lifted.

The sugar beet harvest has commenced and whilst again yields are under pressure due to drought, sugar content and prices are up, the latter due to drought in India, which has also reduced its wheat harvest significantly. Nevertheless, we are heading for a global record wheat harvest and the current low prices are hard to stomach, even where yields are 50% higher than the national average.

This record wheat harvest is in stark opposition to the doom and gloom pundits who predict stark drops in wheat production as global temperatures 'increase'. Once again, reality trumps inaccurate computer models.

Rape and barley yields were good. Our soya in Ukraine is now desiccated and awaiting harvest, whilst root nodulation has been excellent this season a late drought will have knocked yields as it will have those in ripening maize crops.

Drilling of winter barley will commence this week to be followed by wheat. Visits to Czech Republic, Slovenia and Hungary in the last fortnight also tell a tale of dry soils and rapidly ripening maize and sunflower.

We have been testing a Danfoil sprayer this autumn, spraying down to 35 l/ha. In desiccation of potatoes and rape it is performing well alongside more conventional water rates, with obvious work-rate benefits.

Whether the machine can withstand the rigours of operating in Ukrainian conditions remains to be seen.

We have at last managed to source a decent pasta-based formulation of metaldehyde to control the slugs on our heavier soils and rape is quickly growing ahead of the threat.

Before this season, no pellets were available and rotational and cultivation techniques were the only inadequate tools in wet autumns.

Another issue which has raised its head this year is increased standards of the fungal grain pathogen, ergot, in wheats for export.

A virtually impossible and unnecessary standard which has arisen as a result of Egypt, the world's largest wheat importer, bringing in a zero tolerance level. Brought in last season and swiftly back-tracked upon, it was re-imposed at the end of last month, despite independent UN studies showing no risk.

This is merely a symptom of the incompetence of an Egyptian government whose wheat policy reminds one of the corrupt Thai rice debacle.

Massive subsidies are given to domestic growers to encourage production, which is then subsidised as bread for the Egyptian shopping basket.

As with all Middle Eastern governments, they are mindful of the spike in bread prices, caused by Russian and Ukrainian droughts in 2010 which resulted in the 'Arab Spring', the overthrow of several governments and the chaos that is now seemingly unending in the region.

Like the Thai rice support system, Egyptian wheat support is extravagant and corrupt, with an estimated 40% of this year's harvest missing or 'imaginary.'

All this makes the current CAP look highly efficient. What will replace it following the 'Full English Brexit'? A poor start to the day without Dutch tomatoes, Danish bacon, German sausage or French toast!

'Go to work on an egg' alone, it seems – but will the full Scottish be any more palatable?

Highly unlikely, with low oil prices, a ban on fracking and extravagant and immoral wind energy subsidies stealing taxpayer funds from the sick and elderly. Beware the current Brexit dead cat bounce economy.

It's surprising that so many farmers voted for Brexit south of the Border, the phrase about turkeys voting for Christmas comes to mind. Unlike the Scots, with a greater sense of personal preservation.

Mind you, with the SNP finally admitting a £15bn budgetary deficit and even setting up a commission to investigate it, it is unlikely post-CAP that support for Scottish growers will be as generous as it is just now.

Our last decade in Ukraine has shown us how tough it is to farm with no government support payments. With current Brexit disunity, even within the Tory cabinet, it is less a 'Full Scottish Brexit' than a real 'Dog's Dinner'.

Time will tell, but at what cost, especially for a beleaguered agricultural industry.

The excellent Cereals in Practice event, in Aberdeenshire, last month attracted a good turnout, with experts from JHI, SSCR and SRUC on hand to guide growers through new crop technology advances.

It is highly welcome news that Prof Wayne Powell has taken the helm at the re-badged SRUC. An organisation that has, quite frankly, been rather rudderless and which lost its way and too many good staff in recent years under the current management, and with aborted educational mergers.

Scottish agriculture would benefit from a stronger SRUC and Prof Powell has a difficult struggle ahead of him, but few are better equipped for such.