France: The worst spring since many years damages barley quality this year

France experienced the worst spring since many years, heavy precipitation, cold temperatures, flooded and lodged fields. It had to be expected that the barley quality would suffer badly from these conditions, but also the size of production will be lower than average and earlier predicted, H. M. Gauger GmbH said in their July report.

FranceAgriMer has lowered the “good to excellent” crop ratings within two weeks for winter barley from 73 to 62% and for spring barley from 86 to 71%. Some early winter barley results from the south of Paris and in the Centre show low yields, low test weight and sieving results, also high protein (due to low yields, while normally rains provide for heavy yields with the risk of low protein).

Of course, conditions are variable in a large country, but Agreste‘s June estimate of a winter barley crop of 9.47 mln tons will probably turn out too high.

Kernel size, protein contents, damaged grains and germination problems could reduce the selection of winter and hopefully to a lesser extent spring malting barley, an estimate is not possible yet.

20 July, 2016