Australia: Western Australia barley growers want more thorough testing

While a number of Great Southern growers continue to be held up at CBH receival sites as they wait for falling numbers results this harvest, others want the opportunity for more testing, Farm Weekly reported on December, 16.

Currently in Western Australia only wheat varieties are subjected to the test, which measures the time taken for a plunger to fall to the bottom of a precision bore glass tube filled with a heated paste of wheat meal and water, distinguishing grain weight.

But a growing number of WA grain producers are questioning why their barley loads aren't also being tested for quality like that of their eastern states counterparts, who in some instances, have been given the opportunity to have other cereals tested.

In WA, whether a barley variety reaches malting status is heavily dependent on the grain's colour but history has shown some of the world's best barley to be stained.

So there is a concern that WA barley is being downgraded, and growers failing to secure a premium, due to visual inspections alone.

A CBH spokesperson said the malting barley market was both quality conscious and competitive, and the ability for barley to germinate was one of the key quality parameters implemented to determine the malting grade.

In the eastern states, falling numbers machines are occasionally used to test for malting grades but in WA colour classification was another mechanism to manage and monitor barley segregations.

When asked why WA barley didn't receive the same treatment options the CBH spokesperson said colour was a reliable measurement and could give an indication of rain impact, germination ability and storability.

"This is the testing we use in WA," the spokesperson said.

"Colour can also indicate or be linked to microbiological activities on the grain.

"Once barley has sprouted and becomes a candidate for a falling numbers test it is actually no longer viable as a malting barley and would not be of interest to the market.

"Marketers and contractors need to ensure confidence the barley will malt and are very selective in the barley purchased.

"WA has a long history of providing high quality, germinating, bright coloured malting barley to long-term international customers."

Tambellup farmer Phil Rumble said while he had never thought to falling numbers test his barley before, he could see why some WA growers were curious about the malt market and whether or not WA market options were potentially being lost to eastern states counterparts who had access to further testing methods.

"WA is renowned for its quality malt barley on a global scale," he said.

"And although we have never really had to think about it before I'm sure most growers would say that any testing method that had the potential to put more money in our pockets would be worth investigating."

He also said falling numbers testing might offer a fairer method than visual inspection alone, but questioned whether or not falling numbers testing had the ability to damage the reputation of WA malt barley.

"If our malt barley had to be tested for falling numbers it could have the potential to give the impression that we're treading a fine line with the segregations," Mr Rumble said.

"We want to be seen as confident in our ability to provide the best malting barley on the global market and not have to second guess our segregations by falling numbers testing.

"There's a very fine line which needs to be handled carefully by our bulk handlers and marketers."

16 December, 2011