Growers were keen to rebook Flagon for next season confirming its position in the malting barley market according to Gleadall agriculture’s Stuart Shand.

With yields averaging 4t/acre, the variety is performing as well as Pearl.

“This year Flagon is showing a very high pass rate and yields are slightly higher compared with previous years.”

Flagon was producing nitrogen levels around 0.3-0.4% lower than nearest competitor Pearl. The lower nitrogen was giving farmers a good chance of achieving the malting premium according to Mr Shand.

Malting barley had generally been going well in Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire with the Midlands and Norfolk slightly lagging behind.

In the south the crop has struggled because of the high nitrogen levels.

The first spring barleys are looking very thin and malters will have to lower there acceptance levels to meet their targets, he concluded.