Wheat samples should be kept separate – plea
Wheat samples should be kept separate – plea
AFTER a rain-lashed bank holiday weekend wheat growers are being urged to keep samples separate wherever possible.
Up to 80% of fields were still uncut in the north and west and 10-15% in the south earlier this week.
"Most of the quality wheats have been cut," said Jon Duffy of Gainsborough, Lincs-based Gleadell Banks on Tuesday. "But it is catch as catch can for the rest. Hagbergs and specific weights can only decline. Lodged crops are most at risk, though some standing crops are starting to discolour."
Key feature of this harvest is the variability of wheat crops and the slide in quality towards the west, adds Wilts-based Allied Grains Nick Oakhill.
"Its a very mixed bag which will make it much harder to ship uniform product." Not since 1992 has quality varied so much, he says.
"Everything left will struggle to make 74kg/hl," adds Jonathan Hoyland of Banks Southern. "Farmers must keep these later cuts separate as best they can to avoid diluting the quality of their earlier ones..
"There is oodles of 72-74kg wheat sloshing around Europe because of failed milling crops." Anything which can be done to preserve the quality of UK crops should be worthwhile, he suggested.
Many wheats still standing are going black, notes Robert Kerr of Glencore Grain. So far that was not unduly reflected in poorer grain quality. "But kilo weights are definitely lower than last year – 3-4kg/hl down."
Markedly different quality crops of the same variety should be kept apart, he advises. "You have got to treat them as two different Ribands or two different Brigadiers.
"There will be a two-tier market in our view."
Some domestic consumers are unlikely to take sub-70kg/hl wheat, he says. In that case spoiling a 72kg sample by putting a 67kg sample on top of it to create a 69 bulk would be inadvisable.
In west Wales over 80% of wheats were uncut earlier this week, reports Dalgety Agricultures Phil Rees who farms at Broad Haven, Pembs. Many samples have unacceptably low specific weights and sprouting is serious in some lodged wheats.
Kenneth Wilson, Wetherby, Yorks, reported below average wheat quality. "Proteins and Hagbergs are all right, but we are struggling with bushel weights," said a spokesman. "Our lowest sample has been 53kg/hl and we are getting an increasing number between 66 and 70." The weather lay-off would hit quality and strong winds could shed ripe grain from standing crops, he added.
* Scottish growers are well on with barleys, and are now into wheats, said Glencore Grains Adrian Fisher. "They have had a good run for the past few days. Farmers are up to date, so nothing is likely to spoil."
WHEAT QUALITY
• Rain interrupts harvest.
• Specific weight concerns.
• Two-tier market for feed?
• Store qualities apart.