NABIM/Crops milling wheat challenge

What makes a top milling wheat grower? The answer, according to the current nabim/Crops milling wheat champion, is big yields, good quality and profit-boosting premiums.

The fact Alan Ponder delivered all three at Deal Hall Farm near Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, goes some way to explaining why he beat off strong competition to lift the trophy.

He grew 960ha of the crop last season, averaging 9.95t/ha on his heavy alluvial clays and all at full milling quality

Solstice is his key variety, averaging 10.8t/ha last season with a top-quality 80kg/hl specific weight, 400 Hagberg and 13% plus protein specification. Battalion and Gallant also performed well, while two varieties with a great past, Hereward and Soissons, still feature strongly.

But producing plenty of good grain is only half the story – a good marketing strategy is vital. About half the crop is sold before harvest, often at fixed premiums. “It costs about £90/t to grow wheat, so if we can lock in a decent margin we will,” says Mr Ponder.

Now entering its second year, the Milling Wheat Challenge sets out to find the top grower and highlight the great job these professionals do.

“There’s so much that we in the milling industry can learn from growers like these,” says nabim’s Martin Savage. “Last year’s finalists balanced a detailed understanding of the technical requirements of the crop with practical experience and an appreciation of what the customer requires. Although each had a different approach to marketing the crop, their strategies were well thought out and they all understood the bigger picture.”