It was noted that unexpected and ‘out of the blue’ issues, including climatic events and political developments could of course affect prices
Cereals and oilseed growers in Wales were given the opportunity last week to discover more about the issues facing their sector thanks to a conference organised jointly by AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds and NFU Cymru.
The session held in Glamorgan and titled ‘Agronomy 2016 – Risk, Resilience and Reward’ looked at some of the agronomic hazards and risks faced by the sector, as well as the current situation in global grain markets.
Opening the conference AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds’ Helen Plant spoke of grain market prospects for 2016 and beyond. Delegates to the conference heard how following three years of reasonable global weather there were good levels of grain stocks around the world, leading to a deflationary price trend. Despite this, it was noted that unexpected and ‘out of the blue’ issues, including climatic events and political developments could of course affect prices.
The second speaker of the day, Dr Ellie Marshall, who is a Research Manager at AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds took members through the issues around variety selection, taking into account agronomic considerations as well as end user requirements. Those present heard how the same variety can achieve a wide range of yields in all regions, and how the growing season can impact on variety performance.
The final speaker of the day was Dr John Williams from ADAS who covered the environmental, economic and practical impacts of straw incorporation compared to removal and sale. Growers heard how whilst incorporation improved soil organic matter, returned nutrients to the soil, and avoided some of the risks of soil damage, the removal and sale of straw did offer a potential additional income stream whilst also reducing the risk of pest and disease carry-over.
In conclusion there was no simple answer to the question of whether or not to incorporate straw, but it was a decision which very much depended on individual circumstances, and should be kept under regular review.
Speaking after the meeting, Perkin Evans, Chairman of NFU Cymru’s Combinable Crops and Horticulture Working group said, “I am grateful to AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds for once again putting on a really excellent range of speakers. I think all of us have enjoyed listening to the speakers and will be able to go home having learnt and discovered something that can make a difference to our own farming systems.”