United Kingdom
November 19, 2007
Source:
HCGA Crop Research News
The final
2007 HGCA
Cereals Quality Survey results confirm a decrease in quality
compared to last season. Average Hagberg, protein content,
specific weight and moisture content are lower than last year.
The same is true when comparing 2007 results to the previous
three-season averages, although the difference is smaller.
"Similar to other areas of Europe, Great Britain has harvested a
lower quality wheat crop compared to 2006 but still similar to
the previous three-season average. The results are relatively
consistent across the regions, with average regional Hagberg
Falling Numbers, for example, only ranging between 220 and 259
seconds." said Michael Archer, HGCA Economist.
The average Hagberg Falling Number for wheat is 239 seconds.
This is 55 seconds less than in 2006/07 but just 4 seconds below
the three-year average. Average Hagbergs are lower in every
region of Great Britain than last season, with the North and the
East showing an improvement compared to the three-season
average. It is a similar story within the nabim groups, where
the average Hagbergs are below 2006 averages in all cases.
Specific weight in Great Britain wheat is also down, with the
average placed at 75.6 kg/hl, 0.8kg/hl below 06/07 but only 0.3
kg/hl below the three-year average. The regional picture for
average specific weight is mixed. Average weight is higher than
the three-year average in the North and East, but lower in the
South West, Scotland, South East and Midlands.
The average protein content shows a similar trend to the other
quality parameters. At 12.2%, it is down 0.4% on 2006/07 and
0.3% lower than the three-year average. Regionally, the results
follow the overall picture for Great Britain, with lower average
values for all regions compared to last season and only Scotland
showing a slight increase compared to the three-year average.
"Following two high quality wheat crops in 2005 and 2006, 2007
shows a return to more average levels of quality. Although
weather conditions in the growing season were quite variable,
with both drought and flood problems seen in various parts of
Great Britain over the course of the year, quality seems to have
held up quite well. However, given the smaller wheat crop and
the reduction in average quality, there could be less domestic
milling-grade standard wheat available in 2007/08," said Michael
Archer.
The final barley results suggest a fall in quality compared to
last season and most of the three-season averages. Average
specific weight for barley is 64 kg/hl, the lowest since Cereal
Quality Survey records began. This is 3.7 kg/hl below 2006/07
and 3.1 kg/hl above the three-year average. The average nitrogen
content of barley is 1.71%, down slightly from last season's
1.74% and the three-year average of 1.75%.
Screening results show that on average 4.1% of grain passed
through a 2.25mm sieve. This is higher than both last season and
the three-season average. Similarly, 89.1% of barley was
retained by a 2.5mm sieve, up on 2006/07 but below the
three-year average.
Full details of the 34th HGCA Cereal Quality Survey covering
wheat and barley including full regional analysis, can be found
on the HGCA website at
www.hgca.com
Information from 52,000 wheat samples and 22,000 barley samples
were received and analysed by HGCA for the survey.
Cereal
Quality Survey Results 2007 (PDF) |
|
