Low proteins cause problems for barley growers

Low protein levels in malting barley are leading to problems for some Boortmalt growers , who are having difficulty finding an alternative buyer for their grain.

Boortmalt is restricting intake to 30% of contracted tonnage below 9.3% protein, which means that many growers may now have to find a different buyer for up to 70% of their barley.

Normally this would not be an issue, but higher winter barley area, coupled with high yields and good spring barley yields to date mean that most merchants feel they can barely cope with the output from their regular customers.

There is also a level of apathy in the trade following the difficulties of the past marketing year and the high level of imported maize.

Harvest progress

Harvesting has been very variable over the past week, with most of the cutting done in the southern half of the country. Yields and quality seem to have held well but colour has deteriorated in many crops.

Glanbia has taken in about 60% of its overall budgeted intake, with 85% of its spring barley and 90% of its winter wheat still to be harvested.

Further north, harvest progress is slower and ground conditions have deteriorated.

Less than 10% of winter wheat has been cut. Yield and quality have held well in recent deliveries, with over 4t/ac reported with high specific weights.

Very little spring barley has been cut (<10%) but yields are good (up to 3.5 t/ac). There is some sprouting present but at very low levels. There is about 20% of the rape remaining, as well as some oats. There is also a lot of straw to be baled.