Mixed wheat

7 September 2001



Mixed wheat

DALGETY’S Peter Chaplain describes the wheat harvest as, "a mixed bag. Yield and quality are very variable. There is about 80% of wheat and spring barley done, with less further into Lancashire."

"Lancashire have had a bad run and is still slow. Some of their late drilled winter wheat is still not fit or just becoming fit."

The mixed yields can be put down to field drainage and soil types, with lighter land yielding better. "We can expect the amount of rain we’ve had in the last 12 months not to have affected yields."

Quality wheat is now starting to deteriorate. "It really is a mixed bag in terms of Hagberg, protein and bushel weight. But the market is showing great flexibility. There will be a place for lower Hagberg and protein grain, but obviously the premiums won’t be as good."

Spring barley is now showing higher nitrogen. "We’ve seen nitrogen up to 2.1 lately and a bit of sprouting."

Weather conditions have not been that good over the last two weeks with overcast and showery weather."

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