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Its official: barley quality up

- 16 August 2001
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16 August 2001



Its official: barley quality up


By Tom Allen-Stevens

Reports that the quality of early-harvested winter barley is better than had at first been feared have been confirmed by the Home Grown Cereals Authority.

The first of its annual harvest quality updates, published on Thursday (August 16), reports that the hot and sunny weather in late July helped to improve quality.

Many growers and merchants had been worried that extreme planting and growing conditions would have dragged down sample quality.

But as the first harvest reports came through on the FARMERS WEEKLY/FWi Harvest Highlights service, it became clear this was not the case.

The HGCA preliminary results were taken from 315 samples of the varieties Pearl, Regina and Fanfare, from mostly eastern and southern counties of England.

These varieties, which were all a point up on the three year specific weight average, have a combined 50% of the winter barley market share.

“Despite the dreadful growing season, the message seems to be so far, so good when it comes to barley quality this harvest,” said HGCAs Rupert Somerscales.

“Generally speaking bushel weights are good, screenings are acceptable and nitrogen levels are below those of the last three seasons.”

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