Harvest 2001: North/south split

5 September 2001



Harvest 2001: North/south split

By Tom Allen-Stevens and Tom Hood

AS THE DROSS at the rump end of the harvest continues to dribble in to southern grain stores, northern growers are reporting a far more successful crop.

The quality of the wheat harvest is good, Newcastle based Grain Cos Gary Bright told FARMERS WEEKLY on Wednesday (5 September).

Protein is typically between 12-13% and all the Hagbergs are over 250. There have not been many foul samples.

Spring barley is much the same, he says: Weve only seen a small amount with splits or cracked grain. Weve got a good heap of malting barley in the store.

In Scotland, two weeks of splendid weather has allowed East Lothian grower James Grant Suttie to catch up on the late harvest.

We would normally be combining at 20-25% moisture on wheat. But at the moment weve had it as low as 15-16%, which is unheard of in this area.

Optic spring barley has yielded about 6.2t/ha, which is below the normal 6.8-7.5t/ha. However quality is good with nitrogen ranging 1.35-1.5%.

But its a different kettle of fish in East Anglia, according to Aylsham Grains Andrew Dewing. The samples coming in now are wet and grotty.

Quality is poor and the Hagbergs have gone. The spring barley coming in now is grotesque. But it passes the tests and there is no sign of pre-germination.

E-mailing the HARVEST HOTLINE, Phillip Maw, who farms at Roxby Hall Farms in North Lincolnshire, is impressed with new variety Xi-19.

At a low seed rate it has yielded 4.1t/acre, with specific weight 80Kg/hl. This is up to average for first wheat and not bad considering the conditions.

Nearby, at Barton-on-Humber, Paul Steer has had similar success with Option and Xi-19, but it is not the variety which has made the yield but the conditions.

First wheat yields have been acceptable. But where drilled into poor conditions, crops have struggled and this is reflected in the yields.

North and west Scotland can expect rain overnight and tomorrow, says the Met Office. Rain in England will clear away southwards.