Straw price could soar higher

By Simon Wragg

STRAW prices, already up 60% on last year in some regions, could rise further unless demand for straw slackens, merchants have warned.

The anticipated shortfall from this years cereal harvest has been more dramatic than first thought, says the Hay and Straw Merchants Associations Christopher Trower.

Wheat plantings for the 2001 harvest were down 20.3% while barley plantings were up by 11.4%.

However, the increase in barley plantings was mainly spring-planted crops that have lower straw yields.

Changes to cereal plantings last year would have seen an estimated 800,000t fall in straw production and this is without any reduction in straw yields this year.

“In over 40 years of being involved with straw I have never seen a nationwide shortage like this,” adds Mr Trower.

Ex-farm prices for big-bale barley straw now stand close to 35/t in the eastern regions arable heartland, 38/t in Yorks and 40/t closer to the livestock-dominated west.