The recent good weather has put pressure on the availability of winter cereal herbicides. The generally good weather and soil conditions have enabled an increase in the area of winter crops planted.

As well as this, the good weather conditions have enabled a bigger proportion of the winter acreage to be sprayed with herbicide in the autumn.

Supplies of BASF’s Flight ran out a few weeks ago but there may be a bit more to come into the country shortly. Supplies of Defy have also run out at distributor level but there may be bits around in merchants’ yards. However, there is no more available for importation. Supplies of Lexus Class are also getting tight, but there are other sulfonylurea combinations available.

There do not appear to be any issues with regard to supplies of DFF (diflufenican) but some suggest that supplies of IPU (isoproturon) may be getting tight.

The lack of supply of some herbicides is a consequence of the business practice in the sector where individual products must be ordered very early in the season before acreage or spraying conditions can be known.