12 August 2023, UK: The extreme weather conditions have made for a very difficult and prolonged winter barley harvest across the UK.
A picture of how varieties have performed in the official Recommended List trials is now building on the AHDB harvest results service.
The mean treated yield of all varieties in RL trials is currently 10.39 t/ha after 13 trials have been harvested, an increase over last year’s mean of 9.95 t/ha (across 14 trials).
The two winter malting barley varieties, CRAFT and ELECTRUM from SYNGENTA, have followed this trend, with both quality varieties showing an increase yield in tonnes per hectare over harvest 2022.
AHDB RL treated yields t/ha
2022 (14 sites)
2023 (13 sites as of 7th August 2023)
CRAFT
8.85
9.22
ELECTRUM
9.28
9.88
Quality premiums are being offered for both CRAFT and ELECTRUM for harvest 2024. CRAFT continues to be the No. 1 winter malting variety being taken by all major maltsters in England. And ELECTRUM is growing in popularity in the market as a partner to CRAFT.
Maltsters purchased more CRAFT than any other winter malt variety from harvest 2022, and the variety continues to be popular due to its fantastic consistency and excellent grain quality.
ELECTRUM is the highest yielding winter malting barley on the current AHDB Recommended List with full MBC approval. The super early maturity of ELECTRUM means it is one of the first varieties to reach harvest helping to secure quality in wetter harvests and allowing earlier entry into the following crop.
