Harvesting of winter barley is well under way and early price reports indicate green barley at 20% moisture is trading at approximately £120/t. Grain harvested at lower moisture levels is reportedly priced around £128/t to £132/t.

Prices for green barley in the Republic of Ireland started around €136/t but have since slipped to €130/t. Imported feed barley is still holding around the £150/t mark with dried wheat running £6/t to £8/t higher.

Indications are that yields are down compared with last year, with 2.8t/ac to 3.7t/ac of winter barley based on early harvest reports. Moisture levels indicate grain being harvested at 16% to 17% this week.

Straw

Prices for straw are extremely varied with no great rush on sales to date. Round bales of barley straw are initially priced at £10 to £12 before transport costs rising to £15 per bale based on some reports.

Straw imported from the south is priced around £14 to £16 for 4x4 round bales of barley straw, with 8x3x3 bales priced around £30 to £32 and 8x4x4 bales selling closer to £40.