Profit from new OSR rules
By FW Staff
NEW oilseed rape rules could mean more money in farmers pockets this season.
Growers now have until December 31 before designating crops commercial or industrial. Last year they had to notify the Intervention Board by sowing time, Mike Stubbs of Soufflet Agriculture told delegates at Wednesdays HGCA conference in London.
This will allow more time to assess prices and the area sown, which affect oilseed payment scalebacks. That could reveal industrial crops, which attract set-aside payments, as the more lucrative choice.
Ian Wallis of Cargill recommends the decision is made by December 1 because of the amount of paperwork that has to be done by the merchant. An industrial crop can always be switched back to a commercial one between January and May, if merchants agree.
More useful data will also be available from the HGCA, after the shake-up of its market information services announced this week.
The Weekly Digest has been axed, in favour of a fuller, fortnightly publication, mi prospects, adding analysis, editorial, market commentary and news.
Knowing when to sell can make a huge difference to the price, says the HGCA. Farmers who heeded its advice to sell forward in May this year enjoyed an extra £15/t.
“Cereal growers are struggling with the lowest prices in real terms for 30 years,” said HGCAs Tony Williams. “Judging the right time to sell grain to which market has never been more important.”