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Farmers hoping to plant spring cereals over the coming months should enquire now about the availability of certified seed for barley and wheat, local merchants have advised.
The potential for a possible seed shortage has been flagged on a number of occasions this winter. However, the warning is fast becoming reality, with merchants and agronomists indicating the extent of the shortage is more severe than initially anticipated.
The problem is not confined to NI, as representatives in the seed trade report similar developments in Britain and Europe. Teagasc estimates the expected seed shortage equates to 40,000ha within the Republic of Ireland.
Factors
The problem stems from the disastrous 2023 harvest, with lower yields and higher rejection rates in cereals grown for seed.
The wet autumn saw reduced planting in winter crops, while recent flooding in key arable regions in England is expected to see significant areas of land replanted in spring crops, placing further demand on an already under-supplied market.
Winter seed
To ease that pressure on spring seed, cereal growers can make use of specific winter wheat varieties before mid- to late February.
However, farmers should discuss this with their seed merchants and agronomists, as crop management and chemical treatments will differ from normal winter cropping routines.
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