Harvest 09: Quality suffering in Wilts

Wheat and spring barley quality are starting to suffer in Wiltshire, with sprouted grain and weathered looking crops.

Nick Brown, store manager at Wiltshire Grain, said he was just starting to take in Cordiale and Solstice winter wheat, and Hagbergs ranged from 100 to 300.

“Proteins are all over the place – it’s very variable.”

Although only about 20% of spring barley had been cut, early samples were similarly disappointing, with split skins and sprouted grain.

“It is terribly weathered. With so much barley around I can’t see anyone wanting it.”

Some farmers were still combining winter barley and oilseed rape in the area, he said. “It is just dragging along – but I think a lot of the crops still aren’t quite fit.”