Germany: Winter barley harvest approaching its end with crop size larger than expected

Germany’s winter barley harvest is approaching its end in favourable mainly dry weather with the crop size larger than expected, the association of German farmers DBV said.

The crop of winter barley, generally used for animal feed, will increase to about 9.5 million metric tons from 8.7 million metric tons last year after expanded plantings and higher yields, the DBV said.

This was up on the association’s previous forecast of 9.03 million metric tons on July 4.

Winter barley did not suffer as much as feared from dryness in spring and early summer and yields were larger than expected, the association said.

Harvest yields rose to an average 7.4 metric ton per hectare from 7.1 metric tons last year. Winter barley harvest quality is generally good, it added.

Harvesting of Germany’s wheat and rapeseed has hardly started, it said, with these two crops believed to have suffered more from the dry spring weather.

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