UK: About 30% of winter barley crop already in the barn

Farmers cut around 100,000 ha in the week to Tuesday, August 6, with about 5% of the UK’s total combinable crop area now harvested, Farmers Weekly reported on August 8.

According to the latest ADAS / HGCA crop report, that was well below the five-year mean of 20%.

However, early yields of both winter barley and oilseed rape were close to or better than farm averages.

About 30% of the winter barley crop was now in the barn, with yields ranging from 4.9t to 11.8t/ha, and averaging about 6.8t/ha, said the report.

“Initial quality data shows good specific weights (average 64kg/hl) and low grain nitrogen in malting samples (1.4-1.7%).”

Most grain was harvested at between 14% and 19% moisture, meaning some drying was required, although a few loads of malting barley were being sold straight off the farm at 19% moisture with only small deductions, it added.

09 August, 2013