E-Malt.com News article: 3560

Australia: The status of Harrington and Unicorn barley has been downgraded from Domestic-Only Malting to Feed grade in 2005/06, SeedQuest revealed on October 25. Following the decision of the Western Malting Barley Council, no new contracts will be issued for the purchase of either variety in 2005. However, all current 2004/05 contracts for the delivery of Harrington and Unicorn barley will be honoured.

Department of Agriculture, Western Australia senior barley scientist Blakely Paynter said Western Australian growers were advised that Unicorn and Harrington barley would not be sourced by the malting and brewing industry for the next harvest. Mr Paynter said both Unicorn and Harrington had a malting quality suited to the Japanese brewing market, but were no longer required due to the availability of other options.

Kirin Australia technical director Hiro Otani said Kirin would now source Baudin and Hamelin for making into malt and sale to their parent brewing company in Japan. “We have been evaluating Baudin and Hamelin for the last three years in Japan and they are approved varieties. Their performance meets our requirement for high quality barley varieties with high fermentability, high extract and high enzymic activity,” Mr Otani said.

"Kirin Australia had previously sourced Harrington and Unicorn barley because Stirling and Gairdner barley had difficulty in meeting our malt specification in Japan. As Baudin and Hamelin are approved varieties and will be widely grown in Western Australia, we have decided to not source any Unicorn or Harrington for the 2005/06 harvest.”

Mr Paynter said growers who had used Unicorn in the past as part of an integrated weed management strategy could consider switching to the feed barley varieties Yagan or Mundah. He said these varieties were less prone to head loss than Unicorn, but could still be used in weed management systems.

“Harrington barley growers should consider switching to Baudin barley. Baudin is a high yielding, semi-dwarf variety that is a better option in central high rainfall areas than Gairdner barley due to the rounder nature of its grain,” Mr Paynter said. “Results show that Baudin is higher yielding than Harrington and produces grain with less screenings through both a 2.5mm and a 2.2mm screen. “In statewide Department trials in 2003, Baudin was 10 per cent higher yielding and produced grain with 4 per cent less screenings through a 2.5mm screen.” Mr Paynter said growers who chose to grow Baudin should consider a disease management package as a key component of their management plan.



30 October, 2004