Demand for Null-Lox spring barley is set to reach a new high next season, opening up opportunities for more growers.

Stuart Shand, sales director at Gleadell Agriculture, predicts Null-Lox varieties will take up to 8% of the total spring malting barley market next year and up to 15% by 2015.

“Growers planning their 2014 rotations should consider saving some space to give these specialist spring brewing varieties a try. With drilling turnaround times likely to be especially tight this autumn it’s an ideal opportunity,” he says.

Null-Lox spring malting barley is a conventional spring barley type developed by Carlsberg and Heineken Research to produce beer that tastes better for longer and with better head retention. It also has processing properties that reduce energy use and carbon footprint while improving its malting qualities.

Carlsberg has committed to brew its own branded beer with Null-Lox. As well as this proven and increasing market, Null-Lox varieties are showing excellent potential on UK farms, says Mr Shand.

Null-Lox varieties have been grown in the UK for four years and have proved themselves in both drought and extremely wet years.  “In last year’s very difficult season, Cha Cha, Charmay and Cheerio all performed extremely well compared with other spring barleys. Yields were generally equal or better than other varieties and quality was excellent, with just 3% of all barley produced not going as malting.  For conventional barleys the figure can be closer to 40%.”

Null-Lox varieties are also very quick to establish, he points out. “Our survey carried out after harvest 2012 showed that 40% of Charmay and Cha-Cha growers confirmed the crop established earlier than other spring malting types, and only 6% said the varieties were later to harvest than other springs.”

Yields for Cha Cha, Charmay and Cheerio hit 6.09, 5.78 and 5.83t/ha respectively in 2012 compared with the national average of about 5t/ha. According to 20% of the 250 growers surveyed, yields were better than Tipple, Quench or Propino, with a further 61% reporting that yields were similar.

Null-Lox varieties look set to deliver again this harvest, he adds. “Crops got up and away quickly again this spring and have looked well throughout,” says Mr Shand.

As exclusive agents for Null-Lox in the UK, Gleadell has a choice of contracts available for next season’s crop, including premium over wheat futures, pools, feed plus premium and non-defaultable contracts. Domestic contracts terms are a generous 1.92% maximum nitrogen content, well above the 1.65% for distilling barley and the 1.85% brewing and shipping standard, offering an additional safety net to growers whose barley is destined for the domestic market.

“Every single tonne of Null-Lox that we contract is needed, so these varieties should rarely be in oversupply,” says Mr Shand. “That, plus their proven agronomic performance, makes them an excellent prospect for the malting barley grower. We predict further strong uptake of our contracts for 2014.”