Farmer Focus Arable: Martin Lawrenson considers potato selling options
After returning from a holiday in France, I was hoping to ease myself back to work.
But as always, my plans went awry. Within two hours, I was sitting on the sprayer heading to spray the potatoes for blight.
The change in conditions between when I left and my return could hardly have been greater. Dry, firm conditions had been replaced by waterlogged tramlines and deep ruts and the row crop wheeled-tractor had been replaced with a bigger tractor with larger tyres.
Although conditions haven’t been ideal, the potato harvest has progressed well. With loads leaving the yard every day and demand holding, selling has been easy. When prices are poor there isn’t any demand, but when they are high everyone is looking for potatoes.
I can’t remember clearing as much area at this time of year before. Now I must decide to keep selling or to store, hoping that prices rise even further in the new year.
Grain harvest has been a stop-start affair, although generally we have managed to keep up with crops as they come ready. Yields have been average, but straw yields are down.
Spring barley crops are ripening unevenly with many fields varying from over-ripe patches to green heads, which look weeks off being ready. Dry then wet conditions may be to blame. Consequently, most fields have been treated with glyphosate to remedy the problem.
With hay and straw prices high this year, I was interested to read about a rise in hay thefts in Farmers Weekly last week. One idea suggested to deter would-be thieves was to cut the strings on bales so that they can’t be carried off. With 5000 bales in the barn, I think I will look for another solution.
