United Kingdom: Malting barley quality in the South found wanting

Up to 75% of malting barley samples in the South of the UK may fail to make the grade, Nick Brown of Wiltshire Grain was quoted as saying by Farmers Weekly Interactive on August, 26.

“Most of the barley is pretty nondescript.” Although yields had been good, split skins and fusarium were common problems, he said.

“I reckon we’ve thrown 50% out (into the feed bin), and half of what we’ve kept may not be any good either, depending on what the maltsters want, with East Anglia having had good quality crops,” he added.

26 August, 2009