UK 2008 Wheat Area Was Up 13.1% To 2.1M Ha
DEFRA say that the final 2008 UK wheat area was 2.1m ha, an increase of 13.1% on 2007's 1.8m ha. Barley plantings were up around 11% to 1.0m ha, they say. Some of the extra area came from set-aside and some from rapeseed plantings which were 11% lower.
What will be of far more interest now is what area will be given over to wheat and barley in the coming season.
I haven't seen any estimates for that yet, they don't normally seem to circulate until around February. You don't need to be a genius to figure out they will be lower. The $6m question is by how much?
Anecdotal evidence tells me that there are a lot of enquiries around for peas & bean seed this year, with the wheat price having fallen below £100/tonne.
I'll stick my neck out and go for wheat plantings of 1.7m ha and barley 0.9m ha.
What will be of far more interest now is what area will be given over to wheat and barley in the coming season.
I haven't seen any estimates for that yet, they don't normally seem to circulate until around February. You don't need to be a genius to figure out they will be lower. The $6m question is by how much?
Anecdotal evidence tells me that there are a lot of enquiries around for peas & bean seed this year, with the wheat price having fallen below £100/tonne.
I'll stick my neck out and go for wheat plantings of 1.7m ha and barley 0.9m ha.
