Foot-and-mouth firms up barley straw

By FWi staff

BARLEY straw prices are starting to firm as the foot-and-mouth crisis affects the logistics of moving supplies around the country.

“It is not a panic situation, yet,” says Chris Trower, secretary of the Hay and Straw Merchants Association.

“But some straw stocks are on farms that have livestock and they are nervous about selling.”

Supply is complicated by foot-and-mouth movement restrictions, with some farmers unwilling to have hauliers on farm, he adds.

Devon straw merchant John Dorse says he has a few clients in Hampshire and Wiltshire who do not want Devon lorries on their farms.

Demand, on the other hand is buoyant. “A wet winter tends to make this time of year busy anyway. This year has been wet, so farmers have run-out of straw earlier than expected,” says Mr Trower.

And farms caught up in foot-and-mouth affected areas are using more straw as they try to keep stock in for longer, he adds.

Across the country the price is hardening for barley straw. “There is not much left in the country, so if you cut a few farms out, it soon sparks demand,” Mr Dorse says.

The HSMA says that big bale barley straw is trading ex-farm at 50/t in the south-west, with lowest prices about 30/t in the south-east.

Wheat straw is also picking up. Top prices are again in the south-west where it is trading 40/t, with a low of 18/t.

Mr Trower reckons there is enough to go round, but there could be local shortages.