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Limited whisky production, and a spike in the spring barley area, is causing uncertainty for Scottish arable farmers this harvest.
As a result, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has suggested that growers consider how this year’s cereals and oilseeds will be marketed.
Wet weather last autumn brought a 27% reduction in winter barley planting across Britain, and in England there has been 52% more spring barley sown this year than in 2019. This switch to spring crops better suits the supply for whisky and alcohol production, however, demand may be limited due to the impact of COVID-19.
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