Ireland: Still high percent of barley fails to pass malting quality criteria but failure rate expected to fall as harvest continues
As much as 50% of malting barley varieties presented to Dairygold, Ireland's largest farmer-owned business, on some days last week failed to pass the quality criteria required for malting, Irish Independent reported on August 20.
The news comes as yield projections for the country suggest that this year's harvest could be up to 10% higher than expected and should top 2 mln tonnes. Teagasc had forecast a yield of 1.9 mln tonnes.
High protein levels, reaching up to 13.5% in some cases, were the main reason for the malting failures, but the presence of green grains was also an issue for some loads. The upper and lower limits for protein levels in malting barley are 11.5% and 9% respectively.
A spokesman for Dairygold confirmed that a significant proportion of malting barley crops presented at intake points in south Tipperary early last week failed on high protein.
"On some days up to 50% would have failed but over the course of the week it was about 30%," he said.
However, he predicted that the failure rate would fall as the harvest continued. Approximately one-third of Dairygold's malting barley supply has been harvested so far.
The price difference between feeding and malting barley is usually €25-30/t so farmers whose crop failed for malting will be forced to take a hit on grain income as a result.
The Dairygold representative suggested that some of the high protein problem could be due to farmers harvesting several days too early or high fertiliser utilisation rates driving up protein levels in the grain.
"I know some lads are holding off on harvesting for a few days to see if that will bring protein down. It might work for the crops that are near enough to 11% or 12% but it's hard to see it making much difference to a crop that's at 13% or more," he maintained.
Industry sources said crops from the midlands down to the south had been affected.
However, a Glanbia representative said the company was not experiencing major problems and that percentage rejections were running between 5% and 7%.
In other harvest news, Dairygold has announced an 'on account payment' of €125/t for green barley, wheat and oats (at 20% moisture). A price of €275/t (at 9% moisture) will apply to oilseed rape.
The first payment run will occur next week and will pay for grain delivered up to August 11. Further payment runs will take place at fortnightly intervals.
The 'on account payment' is the process Dairygold employ to get some payments to growers during the harvest period. Final grain prices will be determined post-harvest in October.
Meanwhile, Jim O'Mahony of Teagasc said the total harvest would come in close on 2 mln tonnes. However, he added that quiet a lot of grain had gone for whole crop.
Some industry sources maintain that total output will exceed that 2 mln tonne mark and could top last year's total of 2.1 mln tonnes.
Although most of the winter barley crop has been harvested, winter wheat and spring barley are expected to come ripe in most areas this week.
Grain prices remain unchanged this week. Green spring barley prices are ranging from €138/t to €145/t (at 20% moisture and exclusive of VAT), with a bigger spread on green wheat prices, ranging from €150/t to €160/t.
"There is increasing demand for grain for crimping and this has been a key factor in upping the competition and price of green wheat," said Noel Delany of the IFA.
23 August, 2013
