NEW GROWERS – HOW TO SUCCEED
NEW GROWERS – HOW TO SUCCEED
SPRING barley is the only real cereal alternative available to plug the gap left by failure to drill all the wheat planned for this season.
But for many growers this will either be the first experience with the crop, or a return to it after many years.
"It is a different crop and has different agronomic requirements, so must not be treated as wheat as this could lead to disaster," warns Simon Waterfield, seeds director for Norfolk-based Saxon Agriculture at East Walton.
"There is a firm market for spring malting barley, so there is a worthwhile premium for grain. It is significantly cheaper to grow than wheat and, as it has potential to consistently yield 7.5t/ha, it can give a comparable gross margin," he says.
"The crop has a lot to offer, if it is treated with respect. It is no longer one for specialist growers."
Most soils, apart from highly fertile silts, are suitable and this season a lot of spring barley is likely to be drilled on heavy wheat-growing land.
Most varieties combine high yield with malting potential, so there is no justification for setting out to grow for feed only, he says.
Saxon Agriculture, which is owned by Bairds Malt, a joint venture between ConAgra Malt and Scottish and Newcastle Breweries, works closely with breeders in the development of suitable malting varieties. As such Mr Waterfield advises growers to use varieties known to maltsters, rather than unknown types which could be a buyers second choice.
"If an appropriate variety is chosen it is not difficult to grow a malting crop of spring barley, provided some basic rules are adopted," Mr Waterfield says.
The first is seed rate. Too much leads to excessive, lush growth, which in a dry season could lead to high screenings with an increased risk of lodging. Too little could compromise yield potential. The aim should be to establish about 300 plants/sq m.
With the switch from ales to lager beers, brewers do not want grain with low nitrogen contents, he adds. But although there is now more flexibility with N rates, they should not be over-done.
Use of an effective herbicide is vital to ensure weeds do not knock yield and provide a springboard for pest and disease attacks. An effective fungicide programme to prevent diseases from gaining access, particularly to the flag and ears, is also needed to ensure a plump-grained sample.
"We need 90% retained over a 2.5mm sieve, a maximum of 1.84%N and grain must be free from smuts and disease blackening," says Saxon Agricultures grain director, Andrew Clements.
Having harvested a good sample it must be dried and stored properly. "Grain is alive and must not be put into store and forgotten," Mr Clements says.
"It must be aerated and cooled so it does not suffocate and die. If it needs drying it must not be cooked as this kills germination capacity wrecking suitability for malting. Most contracts specify 15% moisture, but overseas buyers want 14.5%. It should he held at 10-15C to minimise bug activity.
"With a premium of around 25% of the feed price in the current trading year, one of the best ever, and global demand for malt strong there has never been a better time to grow spring barley," he concludes. *
MARKET DEMANDS
The global malt market is for two-row spring types. Although winter barley has been used in eastern Europe this year due to overall shortage of spring barley, mainstream markets in the Far East and elsewhere still demand spring barley due to its better malt yield. Russia is the fastest growing market for malting barley, increasing affluence turning consumers away from vodka to beer. Annual per-capita consumption last year was 36-37 litres, up from 30 in 1999. The annual requirement to meet the increased demand is now 900,000t of malt, equivalent to 1.17m tonnes of grain, of which 70% will have to be imported.
GROWING TIPS
• Target 300 plants/sq m.
• Avoid excess nitrogen.
• Keep crop standing.
• Herbicide cuts competition.
• Fungicide aids plump grains.
• Prompt harvest avoids pre-germination in field.
• Avoid cooking grain in store and aerate to keep alive.
Check contracts
When comparing contracts growers should check whether moisture deductions are made on the scale agreed by the Maltsters Association of Great Britain. Other arrangements could have a big effect on the value of grain sold. "After last harvest a lot of spring barley came in at well over 15% so this could have affected many growers," says Saxons Andrew Clements. "While in some contracts the penalty is £2.50/t for the first 0.5% moisture then £1.50 for each subsequent 0.5%, the MAGB scale is for 1.2% of the contract price for each 1% moisture. This reflects weight loss so there is effectively no charge for drying."