Things seem to be getting underway as Mr Emmett has harvested nearly 25 ha (60 acres) of his Muscat barley so far.

The grain is coming in at 16% moisture and a specific weight of 65 kg/hl.
 
Mr Emmett is unhappy about the prices he is receiving for his barley.

“The margins in producing winter barley are so minimal.

“Year by year we grow less and less barley because the prices are too low”

His yields so far have been 6.9 t/ha (2.8 t/acre).

Mr Emmett contributes this ‘fairly low yield’ down to the very dry spell of weather he received earlier this year.

“Some of my land is drought prone due to the soil type”

Part of Mr Emmett‘s land lies on light soil overlying gravel while other parts of his land lie on heavy clay.

He is currently receiving the going rate of £60 a tonne for his feed barley. .

With this yield at this particular price it means that Mr Emmett earns £414/ha (£168/acre).