With over half the barley crop now harvested, growers indicate that individual fields are back by between 0.25t/ac and 1.25t/ac. On balance, yield reports would seem to indicate an average yield of little more than 3.3t/ac, with yield back roughly 0.75t/ac on average to date.

With prices back over €20/t, the average yield and price hit combined equate to an income drop of over €190/ac on last year.

Put another way, grain sales of 3.3t/ac at €148/t dry generate €488/ac where production cost is over €500/ac on owned land. But most growers have a significant portion of rented land to pay for.

Broken weather

Up to two-thirds of the winter barley crop is now harvested, despite the recent changeable weather.

Taking the half-chances in the broken weather has been very important as growers in some areas could harvest while others were rained off for a number of days.

Yield reports continue to be well back on last year and quite variable between areas and fields. However, many reports indicate that yield levels are tending to be somewhat higher in later-maturing crops than in those harvested 10 to 14 days earlier.

Grain quality is certainly lower than last year’s exceptional crop but, in general, it is deemed adequate for the market. While there were some samples delivered at below 60KPH, there are also now quite a number coming in above 63KPH and all values are being improved following drying and cleaning.

While there are some low-quality two-row crops, most reports indicate that grain fill in six-row varieties is generally disappointing. Grain fill still appears to be the major limitation to yield as quality appears to be better in the later crops that are yielding higher.

Broken weather is making straw very difficult to bale and this will slow efforts to cultivate stubbles and plant catch crops.