Harvest 09: Big losses in Hants

Yields and quality have been pleasing at Stephen Horn’s Bushy Down Farm, Droxford, Hampshire, but prices are diabolical.

“Yields were very good, but it doesn’t compensate for the dire prices – we’re in for some big losses this year.”

Spring barley cost £105-£110/t to grow, but was valued at about £74/t, and winter wheat cost £125/t against a market price of less than £90/t.

Mr Horn was particularly worried about his Publican and Quench malting barley, which were sold on contract well above today’s prices.

“The quality is very good, but the maltsters are using any excuse not to pay up. I think there could be a lot of people going out of spring barley this year, because the risk is too great.”

Wheat yields and quality were good, with first wheats after peas averaging 11.9t/ha (4.8t/acre).

Solstice, Einstein and Claire all made the grade for milling, at over 300 Hagberg, 80kg/hl and 12.5-13% protein.

Oilseed rape had also excelled, producing the best average yield for 10 years, at 4.5t/ha (1.8t/acre).

Prophet peas came off with a nice sample and yielded 5t/ha (2t/acre), said Mr Horn.

Farmers still had some beans, linseed, spring rape and wheat to finish off in the area, but harvest was about 95% complete.

“We finished seven days ago and are now desperate for rain to get the rape growing. It was a strange season – moistures wouldn’t drop below 15.5% so we had to dry everything.”

Crop: Winter wheat
Varieties: Claire, Solstice and Einstein
Yield: 10.6-11.9t/ha (4.3-4.8t/acre)

Crop: Oilseed rape
Varieties: Excel, Flash and Castille
Yield: 4.5t/ha (1.8t/acre)

Crop: Peas
Variety: Prophet
Yield: 5t/ha (2t/acre)