COMBINABLE CROP seed supplies could come under pressure if unsettled weather continues.

While there should be enough winter barley and oilseed rape to meet demand, traders reckon the delayed harvest means wheat seed supply could be tight.

“It‘s still too early to say, but the weather is making the trade very nervous,” said Barry Barker, national seed business manager at Dalgety.

Warm wet weather had caused some wheat to sprout. Most crops were also being combined at high moisture levels and drying could damage the grain and delay processing, he added.

“We are already looking at firming up our prices because it‘s only going to go one way,” said Mr Barker. “We haven‘t sold out but the margin for error against current demand is tight.”

New varieties are trading in the high £200s/t, with more common ones like Claire and Malacca fetching about £220/t – a rise of £10-£15/t over the week to Aug 19.

Grainfarmers‘ seeds director Tim Hirst said hardly any seed crops had been cut. “We‘ve seen very few samples yet – there must be a major concern.”

So far, quality had held up reasonably well as many crops were not yet ripe, he said. “But unless the weather picks up there are going to be massive problems.

“There are going to be obvious troubles with germination – don‘t drill any home-saved seed until you‘ve had it tested.”