UK: Heatwave to heavily reflect on winter barley crop

Winter barley has been cut at less than 11 per cent moisture content in the Borders and Fife in one of the earliest harvest starts on record, The Scotsman published July 22.

More usually, grain moisture contents - normally at least 15% in Scotland, often higher - have been about 12 per cent. Harvest has started five to ten days earlier than usual in the continuing July heatwave.

Cutting started in the south of England well over a week ago and it is now estimated that about 40 per cent of all UK winter barley has been cleared.

No-one is anxious to talk about specific yields, with "average" the general description, but Home-Grown Cereals Authority estimates indicate about 6.7 tonnes per hectare so far, against 6.5 tonnes last year.

However, that refers mainly to England, and a spokesman said: "It is still anyone's guess what the final figure will be."

Dr Keith Dawson, the Scottish Agricultural College's principal crop consultant, remained "quietly confident" about crop prospects in Scotland. He said: "Having seen some pretty poor crops in some European countries recently, I would far rather be in Scotland this year."

Lower quality grain for animal feed is making, if farmers are prepared to sell, less than £65 per tonne ex-farm. Most malting quality grain is sold on contract at a premium above feed that is decided later in the season.

The main saving for growers at present is that no drying is needed, with farm fuel at about 40p per litre and electricity costs much higher than a year ago.

As usual when a hot, dry spell continues for weeks, there is increasing concern about spring barley crops. That is particularly so this year, when tens of thousands of acres were late-sown because of the wet, cold spring and had only a few weeks to establish before the dry spell.

Spring barley, and wheat, on heavier land should still do fairly well, but crops on lighter sandy or gravelly land are "burning up" - drying out and ripening prematurely with thin grains.

In East Anglia some spring barley has already been cut - the usual starting date for Scotland's spring barley crop is mid-August - and some wheat has been cut in the far south of England.

Estimated early yields are half a tonne down on last year, although what harvesting has been done is on lighter soils.

It will be at least a week to ten days before the bulk of Scotland's oilseed rape is ready to harvest. Estimated yields so far in England are about 3.3 tonnes per hectare and moisture contents as low as 3 per cent have been reported - which, ironically, makes the crop worth less, because oil extraction is much lower compared with the more usual 12 per cent or higher moisture content.

The French-based agency Strategie Grains has reduced its forecast for the European Union's soft wheat harvest to less than 116 million tonnes as lower than expected yields are reported from France, Germany and Hungary. The London futures market has also seen forward positions for wheat strengthen by £1.50 to £78 per tonne for November.

As grain growers make the most of hot, dry weather, there is concern for potatoes, soft fruit and vegetables.

Poly tunnels protect raspberries and strawberries from rain, not heat, and potato crop prospects now depend almost entirely on access to irrigation.

The main Scottish vegetable concern is a broccoli crop that is ripening too quickly and outstripping demand.

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