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Improved weather this week has seen farmers making progress with the remaining grain harvest. Indications are that winter cereals are more or less complete, with any outstanding winter wheat crops being cleared this week.
Harvesting of spring barley is also well under way. However, reports indicate that moisture levels are high, above 20% in some cases. As a result, some farmers have been forced to wait, and are getting on with preparing ground for winter planting.
Where spring barley has been harvested, moisture levels vary from 17% to 19%. To dry the grain down to 14% is probably a cost of around £10 to £15/t.
Early reports on spring barley puts yields at 2.5t/acre, although farmers are reporting individual fields yielding from 2.2t to 3t/acre.
Demand for straw remains weak, with little change to prices. Round bales are making £12 to £14 before haulage costs.
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