The 2025 maize season has given UK growers both relief and frustration in equal measure. An early start and rapid ripening brought the earliest widespread harvests in years, yet below-average rainfall, localised drought, and uneven crop development have kept expectations firmly in check.
An Early Start and a Swift Harvest
Across southern and central counties, maize harvests began up to three weeks ahead of schedule, signalling a year of accelerated growth and early maturity. The Met Office has already confirmed that 2025 ranks among the warmest and driest summers on record, with some areas recording the lowest spring rainfall in over a century.
This cocktail of warmth and dryness helped crops move swiftly through their growth stages, leading to rapid cob development and strong starch levels in many regions. For others, though, the lack of rain constrained potential on lighter soils, leaving yields uneven across fields.
“It was an enjoyable season on the whole,” says Midlands farmer, Will Oliver. “Establishment was early April, the earliest ever for us. Yes, it came with risk, but fortune favoured the brave, and it never really looked back.”
He adds that the dry spring brought both benefits and drawbacks. “Establishing companions and hoeing was a challenge and not necessarily worthwhile. Too dry for companions to establish, but also too dry for weeds.”
Yields, Quality, and Field Variability
While warm weather improved starch content in some crops, yields have proved mixed. On more resilient soils, growers report average or slightly below-average tonnages but good dry matter and feed quality. “I was happy with yields this year. Average quality across the board, but 5with relatively good growing costs — no fungicide and less herbicide required. Dry matters have been good.” says Will Oliver.
However, other farmers have reported yields down by as much as 25–30% on lighter land. Agronomists describe an increasingly familiar pattern, strong headlands but weaker, underdeveloped centres within the same fields, highlighting how uneven rainfall and soil texture can define success or failure.
Disease pressure remained minimal this season, though smut was noted in some crops, and the European corn borer is now being reported in new areas. While still limited, its spread has reminded growers of the need for vigilance as the UK’s climate continues to warm.
Financial Pressures
Although early ripening helped ease harvesting logistics, rising input costs and reduced forage yields have left some livestock producers facing shortfalls. In several drought-hit areas, farmers are having to buy in extra maize or silage to fill the feed gap.
Still, the early finish has provided unexpected opportunities. Many fields cleared in late August and early September are already being sown with ryegrass or oilseed rape, allowing growers to capture remaining soil moisture and improve soil cover before winter.
“Drought many brought challenges,” says Will Oliver, “but it’s also bought opportunity, wheat is going in after maize in good conditions.”
Many farmers across the country are echoing this sentiment, favouring lower-input systems that prioritise resilience over pure output. With input prices high and weather volatility the new normal, 2025 has shown that adaptability, not just yield, is becoming the defining trait of successful maize growing.