Typical yields of linseed are 1.75 t/ha for spring linseed and about 2 t/ha for winter linseed (Nix, 2025). However, work by the YEN has estimated that the potential yield of Linseed in the UK to range between 5 and 7 t/ha, with sunnier regions having greater potential yield. These calculations assume that the crop can capture 50% capture of light energy through the season, and can capture 100% of the available water held in the soil to 1.0 m depth (or less if to rock) plus all rainfall from March to July. Improvements in varieties and crop management will be required to achieve this potential yield, but it does illustrate that there is head room to grow higher yielding crops than are currently grown. With seed prices of up to £575 per tonne available for harvest 2025 and relative low variable costs of around £300/ha, there is clearly potential of high gross margins if high yields can be achieved.
Figure 1: Potential yields of winter linseed in a water retentive soil.
Interestingly, both of the winning linseed crops were harvested in mid-August, which was later than the average crop entered into YEN and suggests that prolonging the green canopy to maximise seed filling is very important for linseed. It was also notable that both winning crops had three fungicides applied which emphasises the importance of maintaining a healthy canopy with which to intercept as much light as possible to maximise photosynthesis. The winning crops also received 110-121 kg N/ha and 36-70 kg SO3/ha, which illustrates the importance of avoiding nutrient deficiency for achieving high yields. This was especially important in 2024 when high rainfall caused substantial leaching of N and S from the soil.
Actions
- Linseed is estimated to have an ultimate yield potential yield of 5-7 t/ha. So there is substantial scope for increasing linseed yields from current UK average.
- Need to maximise light capture by maintaining and prolonging a healthy canopy through good disease control and adequate nutrition.
- Farmers are encouraged to enter their linseed crops into YEN to better understand how to improve them.
- Farmers are reminded that CSFB does not affect linseed crops and winter linseed does not suffer from Flax Flea Beetle damage as adults actively feed in the spring and not in the autumn.
