The importance of land drainage to the UK farming sector has never been higher. With commodity prices remaining low and added uncertainty around the post-Brexit landscape, the focus must be on controlling input costs while maximising yield and crop quality.
Good land drainage facilitates all three:
- Reducing input costs
- Maximising yields
- Maximising quality
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It all starts from the soil up
If you have land to farm, the first and most important consideration — over and above everything else — is drainage. You cannot farm efficiently without it.
Even if you spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on the latest technology such as variable-rate fertiliser applicators, GPS systems, or black-grass control chemicals, it’s all wasted if the soil structure is poor and the land isn’t well drained.
Having well-drained soils is vital to crop health and yield. Our customers consistently report dramatic improvements when drainage is installed. Here are just some of the key benefits:
- Improved soil structure for root development and oxygen flow
- Extended growing or grazing seasons
- Better machinery access with reduced soil compaction
- More efficient tractor use and lower fuel consumption
- Elimination of wet areas and bare patches
- Improved timing for drilling, fertilising, and harvesting
- Fewer cultivation passes required
- Reduced draft forces and machinery wear
What difference does it make to your bottom line?
While it’s difficult to calculate an exact figure, here’s an indicative example comparing poorly drained versus well-drained land.
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Worse-case scenario: poorly drained land
- Yields: 2.5 tonnes per acre of feed wheat at £100/tonne
- Gross revenue: £250/acre (no CAP support)
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Best-case scenario: well-drained, well-structured land
- Yields: 5 tonnes of milling-quality wheat at £120/tonne (£20 premium)
- Gross revenue: £600/acre (no CAP support)
This shows a potential difference of £350/acre. Over a 1,000-acre farm and 30-year period, that’s a gross revenue difference of £10.5 million.
Realistically, after factoring input cost increases, a more conservative estimate is a £100/acre profit difference — still equating to £3 million over 30 years.
Other savings to consider
Effective land drainage brings additional savings through:
- Reduced machinery wear and tear
- Lower fuel bills
- Improved fertiliser uptake
- Greater operational efficiency
In some cases, drainage can mean the difference between having a harvestable crop — or none at all.
Land values have risen sharply in recent years, widening the ratio between drainage cost and land value to roughly 1:10. If your land becomes unfarmable due to poor drainage, restoring it is just a fraction of the cost of buying new acreage.
Where to get good quality drainage products
Cotterills is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of land drainage products. Our range includes:
All our products come with the UK’s longest drainage guarantee.
Author: Andy Cotterill
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