Growing soya in the UK

15 December 1998

Growing soya in the UK

Question

WHY hasnt someone yet bred a variety of soya that is suited to UK conditions? It would be an excellent protein crop, and growing it here would reduce the area given over to other crops and save importing it.

Response

Debbie Beaton, Crops magazine

Answer

SOYABEANS are already being grown in the UK, but current varieties are more suited to the south of the country. Nickersons will be marketing Canadian-bred varieties and Robin Appel Russian-bred types.

Robin Appel sees soyabean as a pea and bean replacement on UK farms, and expects to have a variety suitable for more northerly UK conditions in the next two years.

Soyabean comes under the present oilseeds regime and is therefore subject to MGA rules. However, Robin Appels soyabean specialist Edward Willmott calculates that gross margins from the crop match those of winter oilseed rape. Under Agenda 2000 proposals, soyabean will become more profitable.

Contact Edward Willmott on robin.appel.ltd@farmline.com