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06/10/2005
High fuel and fertiliser costs could favour spring barley over late-drilled winter wheat
THINK twice before continuing to drill winter wheat regardless as we head towards the end of the year, growers are being urged.
Ordinarily, switching from winter wheat to drilling spring barley becomes more cost-effective around mid November to late November, says independent agricultural consultant Simon Ward of Increment.
But current high fuel and fertiliser prices – combined with higher usage of these resources in winter wheat – could tip that balance in favour of spring barley earlier this season. That is on top of farm cash flow advantages and extra environmental stewardship payments with spring barley, he adds.
"Cash flow and fuel costs are important," explains Mr Ward. "Also, nitrogen fertiliser is expensive. With winter wheat you might use as much as 200 kg/ha of nitrogen. But with spring barley about 100 kg/ha may be optimum. At current prices, that's a difference of about £50/ha, which goes straight onto gross margin.
"Also phosphate and potash requirements are less for spring barley," he continues, "and could amount to another £25/ha saving. And with fewer or no black-grass problems in spring barley, that could knock another £20-£30/ha off costs, or possibly £50-£60/ha."
As well as cost savings with spring barley, Mr Ward calculates that by waiting until after mid February before drilling, there is potentially an extra £120/ha to be collected from environmental stewardship (ELS) points.
Over wintered stubbles are worth 120 points per hectare through the ELS scheme, he says. "If that's the only way you can achieve those points, there is potentially an extra £120/ha if you grow spring barley rather than winter wheat. There are certainly a number of farm businesses struggling for points. On lighter land spring barley could help."
In addition, Mr Wards says statistics show a substantial overlap between higher end spring barley yields and the lower end winter wheat yields typically achieved with late drilling. "A good crop of spring barley is far more profitable than a poor crop of wheat," he adds.
So with the introduction of new, high yielding varieties recently, this is a key reason why it's so important to scrutinise latest spring barley yield figures, Robert Hiles of Syngenta Seeds points out.
"The introduction of new, high yielding varieties means spring barley output really is moving into a new era," Mr Hiles stresses.
"Take a look at your 2005 HGCA Recommended List," he urges. "Latest introductions such as malting variety NFC Tipple, with provisional Institute of Brewing (IOB) approval for brewing, or feed variety Waggon, now offer yields of 109% and 111% respectively over the control mean.
"Alternatively, if you want to play it safe with a more established variety, then malting variety Cocktail, with full IOB approval for brewing and distilling, and feed variety Doyen, still both offer treated yields of 106%."
Additionally, barley also has a minimum floor price thanks to intervention, agricultural consultant Simon Ward points out.
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Ordinarily, switching from winter wheat to drilling spring barley becomes more cost-effective around mid November to late November, says independent agricultural consultant Simon Ward of Increment.
But current high fuel and fertiliser prices – combined with higher usage of these resources in winter wheat – could tip that balance in favour of spring barley earlier this season. That is on top of farm cash flow advantages and extra environmental stewardship payments with spring barley, he adds.
"Cash flow and fuel costs are important," explains Mr Ward. "Also, nitrogen fertiliser is expensive. With winter wheat you might use as much as 200 kg/ha of nitrogen. But with spring barley about 100 kg/ha may be optimum. At current prices, that's a difference of about £50/ha, which goes straight onto gross margin.
"Also phosphate and potash requirements are less for spring barley," he continues, "and could amount to another £25/ha saving. And with fewer or no black-grass problems in spring barley, that could knock another £20-£30/ha off costs, or possibly £50-£60/ha."
As well as cost savings with spring barley, Mr Ward calculates that by waiting until after mid February before drilling, there is potentially an extra £120/ha to be collected from environmental stewardship (ELS) points.
Over wintered stubbles are worth 120 points per hectare through the ELS scheme, he says. "If that's the only way you can achieve those points, there is potentially an extra £120/ha if you grow spring barley rather than winter wheat. There are certainly a number of farm businesses struggling for points. On lighter land spring barley could help."
In addition, Mr Wards says statistics show a substantial overlap between higher end spring barley yields and the lower end winter wheat yields typically achieved with late drilling. "A good crop of spring barley is far more profitable than a poor crop of wheat," he adds.
So with the introduction of new, high yielding varieties recently, this is a key reason why it's so important to scrutinise latest spring barley yield figures, Robert Hiles of Syngenta Seeds points out.
"The introduction of new, high yielding varieties means spring barley output really is moving into a new era," Mr Hiles stresses.
"Take a look at your 2005 HGCA Recommended List," he urges. "Latest introductions such as malting variety NFC Tipple, with provisional Institute of Brewing (IOB) approval for brewing, or feed variety Waggon, now offer yields of 109% and 111% respectively over the control mean.
"Alternatively, if you want to play it safe with a more established variety, then malting variety Cocktail, with full IOB approval for brewing and distilling, and feed variety Doyen, still both offer treated yields of 106%."
Additionally, barley also has a minimum floor price thanks to intervention, agricultural consultant Simon Ward points out.
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