The Duguids, from Cranna near Aberchirder in Aberdeenshire, have finished their harvest already.

To lighten the workload during lambing and calving, the farm stopped growing spring cereals and only grows winter barley now.

This move has helped free up time at the start of the year and made for a busy, but relatively short harvest. The whole operation was completed within a week.

“This year’s winter barley was alright,” said Arthur Duguid. “I’d say the yields were mixed, from less than 3t/ac up to 4t/ac. I reckon we would average in between three and three and a half tonnes.”

The crop came in at between 19-20% moisture and will all be bruised and propcorned.

The varieties the Duguids planted include 76ac of Bazooka with an additional 7ac of Tower.

With over 150 suckler cows on the farm, straw for bedding is vital over winter. The crops this year yielded around eight bales per acre. The weather was good, with bales being made in dry conditions.

The bales are all off the parks already, with over 13ac ploughed and ready for grass seed.

As usual, harvest was a family affair at the Duguids, with Muriel and Gemma carting the grain, while Arthur was on the combine and Scott was working the baler.

Caithness crops

Further north in Caithness, winter crop is still being harvested and spring barley is still almost a month away. Mark Mackay at Greenvale Farm near Thurso said his spring barley crop looks heavy and he has been putting growth regulator onto some of the fields to reduce the chances of flat fields.

“Despite the crops looking heavy, the plants are still looking green on the stalks and the heads,” said Mark.

“But there has been a huge difference in the last 10 days.

“Having said that, we won’t be spraying the crop off until at least the end of August, so it will be mid-September until the combine starts. Unless we get wind and sun for three weeks.”

Typical yields in Caithness run between two and two and a quarter tonnes per acre. Mark’s record was 3t/ac, but he admits that was a unique year when everything went right for him.

Market comment

Feed wheat futures are currently sitting between £160-£165/t, as the Scottish harvest moves towards spring crops.

Upward market pressure could come from the continent, as France reduced its soft wheat forecast by 5%, taking it to a quarter less than last year’s bumper harvest.

Egypt appears to be buying significant volumes of wheat on the world market, with 410Kt coming from Russia and Ukraine.

Malting barley

COVID-19 restrictions are impacting the malting and distilling sectors, which used 29% less barley in June this year than last. This is a similar fall to figures from April and May, when restrictions first started.

This is a complete turn around from estimates at the start of the year, when demand was predicted to rise 2%. However, by May, AHDB had estimated demand could have fallen by 5%, which would equate to 117Kt of extra barley.

This figure could continue to rise, as the June drop in barley usage suggests the industry is still operating well below capacity.

Future fears

The switch to spring barley from winter crops due to the wet weather last autumn saw AHDB estimate area planted to have risen by 52%, while wheat fell 25%.

Extra volumes of barley could be tricky to sell, as continental buyers could face a tariff if they want to purchase British grain from 1 January. Unless a Brexit deal is concluded, possible UK barley exports will see tariffs added.

Maize also looks set to play a part in the UK cereals market. According to AHDB, feed wheat delivered in October into Yorkshire is estimated at £172.50/t at current prices.

Imports of maize from Black Sea origins range from £169.70/t to £171.50/t, while French prices from the Atlantic coast are less competitive, in around £170/t.

Even if there is no trade deal with the EU, the UK Government has stated that there would be zero import tariffs placed on maize post 1 January.