Farmer2000 - Eastern Region - Bulletin No.30

Going for quality ..

A recent survey of arable farmers conducted by the National Farm Research Unit (NFRU) has found that more arable farmers are intending to grow for the quality markets. Just over one-fifth (21%) of wheat growers reported that they were growing for bread making, with a further 17% for biscuit making. This has increased substantially from previous years with availability of new quality varieties. Substantially more farmers in the Eastern Region intended to grow for the milling sector (31% for bread making and 19% for biscuit making).

When it comes to malting, 22% of farmers nationally said they grew their barley for malting purposes. In 2005 a similar NFRU survey reported that just 11% of barley growers grew malting barley. This grew to 19% last year and has grown further this year. A similar percentage of barley farmers in the Eastern Region intend to grow for malting (23%).

... reflected in uptake of new varieties

Many arable farmers planted a new variety for the first time this autumn, particularly winter wheat and oilseed rape. Across the UK 30% of winter wheat growers grew a new variety for the first time, with the Group 1 variety Gallant being the most popular new variety. Other wheat varieties included the Group 3 Scout and Group 4's Duxford, JBDiego, Oakley and Viscount. In the Eastern Region 32% of farmers were trying out a new wheat this year.

Around a quarter (23%) of oilseed rape growers grew a new variety, with the conventional variety DK Cabernet being singled out by 30% of these growers. Other varieties being grown for the first time included Vision (14% of growers) and Excalibur (8%). A further 32 different varieties were grown for the first time. In the Eastern Region 24% of farmers planted a new winter rape.

Barley growers were less likely to try out new varieties, although 14% said that they were doing so this season. Popular newly planted varieties were Cassata (16% of growers) and Cassia (9%) for the winter crop and Concerto (7%), Quench (6%) and NFC-Tipple (5%) for the spring crop. Four years ago just 5% of growers were trying out a new barley variety. In the Eastern Region 14% of farmers were trying out a new barley this season.

Seed production practices

A survey by the National Farm Research Unit reveals that 27% of wheat was grown from farm saved seed. In the Eastern Region 35% of wheat growers used their own farm saved seed, higher than the national figure.

Just 4% of wheat was grown on seed contract, with 21% of contract seed growers growing all their wheat under contract. In the Eastern Region 6% of wheat was grown on seed contract.

Membership of Farming Group

A survey by the National Farm Research Unit reveals that 26% of arable farmers across the UK said that they were members of a farmer buying group. A much higher percentage of farmers in the Eastern Region were members of a buying group (35%).

The most common purchases from buying groups were fertiliser, purchased by 81% of farmer members, crop protection products bought by 70% of farmers and seed bought by 64% of arable farmers. Just under one-third (29%) of farmer members bought fuel via the group. For the Eastern Region, 82% of farmers bought fertiliser, 74% bought agrochemicals, 63% seed and 35% fuel through the group.

Crop yields - this year versus last year

A Poll by the National Farm Research Unit reveals that 19% of arable farmers across the UK thought that their wheat yields this year were higher than last year, but 40% thought yields were lower and 24% thought their yields this harvest were similar to last year's harvest.

For winter barley 19% of arable farmers across the UK thought their yields were higher this year than last year, but 34% thought yields were lower and 35% thought yields were similar. Spring barley yields were more disappointing with 44% of growers saying their yields were lower, 20% saying they were the same and 18% saying yields were higher this harvest.

For winter oilseed rape, there was more optimism with 27% of rape growers reporting higher yields comparing this year with last, 26% reporting similar yields but 32%, particularly in the East and in Yorkshire and Humberside, reporting lower yields.