World: Hop farmers try not to be too optimistic
August 21, 2006 Crop Report
By Douglas MacKinnon
The latter half of July brought with it above average temperatures on both sides of the Atlantic. In the United States, this slowed the growth of aroma hops, which are not fond of such weather. Due to the presence of drip irrigation in all alpha hop fields, alpha hop yield was not seriously affected. In Europe, where irrigation is the exception rather than the norm, both aroma and alpha hop varieties were stressed. During July, the year 2006 was shaping up to be the worst since the draught of 2003.
In both cases, the end of July and the beginning of August brought relief. In the United States, cooler temperatures have prevailed during the month of August, easing the stress on all hop varieties. In Germany and the rest of Europe, August has brought with it above average rainfall.
Hop farmers try not to be too optimistic, and indeed you can never know the crop until it is in the bale, but it appears that each passing day has brought with it a greater sense of relief as to what the crop will bring. Plants on both sides of the Atlantic have returned to a greater state of normal. In Europe, one question still remains, alpha content. With the rain and lack of sunshine have come below average temperatures. Hops need sunshine, or at least warmth to produce alpha acid. The question now that the hop production appears back on track is how much alpha acid will these hops produce.
Some growers in the United States have already begun picking early aroma varieties. Picking there will not begin in earnest until the end of the month of August. The same is the case in Germany.
Douglas MacKinnon is chairman of the International Hop Growers Convention executive committee. He publishes the MacKinnon Report, a subscription newsletter that reports developments and market activity within the hop industry. For subscription information please contact Doug at doug@mackinnonreport.com
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