Harvest Highlights: Barley pleases Eastern farmers

Send us your views on harvest progress/prospects: Karen.Willmer@rbi.co.uk

As harvest was getting underway, farmers in Eastern regions of the UK were generally satisfied with winter barley. Reports show that quality was pleasing farmers, although there were still some concerns for yields due to the recent dry weather.

Norfolk farmer Dan Hicks was “fairly pleased” with winter barley which came in at 13.2% moisture. Hopes were for 12ha of Pearl meeting malting standards, but he said yields were reasonable considering the light land.

Pearl winter barley yielded 7.4t/ha for Chris Hewis in Lincolnshire. He was also hoping for the crop to meet malting standards, but was generally pleased with the yields. “The crops are looking well and heavier than last year”, he said.

Yields of Flagon winter barley were better than expected for Mark Ireland at Grange Farm in Lincolnshire. He said the crops suffered from the recent very dry weather and so were on borderline malting quality. The dry weather had also affected the size of his oilseed rape seed, and meant some winter wheat had died off.

Mr Ireland added: “For two weeks in June the crops looked marvellous but we just missed the rain storms.”

However, winter barley yields suffered in the West for Shropshire farmer Richard Solari. Yields were 10% down on last year, with a low of 6.25t/ha to a high of 8.25t/ha. His winter wheat was also changing very quickly due to the recent lack of rain.

See FWi’s Harvest Highlights section for the regional reports in full and more from around the country, updated every day.