Harvesting of winter crops is at an advanced stage after a difficult start. Dry weather has seen many farmers finish combining winter barley and oilseed rape, with attention now turning to winter wheat.

Reports on yield are reasonably good with many farmers reporting in excess of 3t/acre of dried barley harvested.

Prices being paid for dried barley range from £152 to £162/t, depending on collection or delivery, and demand. This puts barley prices £5 to £10/t ahead of 2019 levels.

Straw

However, demand for barley straw is extremely slow, with growers indicating customers are still carrying significant stocks of 2019 straw.

But supply is down, with straw yields anywhere from a third to half when compared to last year. Reports suggest farmers are baling between five and seven round bales per acre.

With sales slow, prices for new season straw are difficult to pin down. But where prices have been reported, round bales range from £16 to £22, with higher prices including delivery.

This puts the price of straw anywhere from £2 to £5 ahead of last year. Prices closer to £30 have been reported for 8x3x3 square bales, which again is ahead of 2019 levels.

With limited demand for straw to date, growers have chopped oilseed rape straw and a number indicate that wheat straw will also be chopped.

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