UK Spring Barley Yields Up

UK spring barley yields are up by as much as 10 per cent this year according to the HGCA, although it’s too early to tell if quality has been badly affected by the bad weather this summer, they say.

Peter Hanson, barley specialist and trials consultant for the HGCA’s Recommended List said that he was not surprised that yields had jumped in this wet season. “As a barley breeder I always associate a wet year with spring barley doing well in terms of yields,” he said. “There has been no drought stress this season which has helped although it will probably be difficult to get good malting samples this year,” he added.