The latest HGCA data, released at the beginning of the week, shows the quality of this year’s wheat harvest is likely to make up for the lower yield. This year’s wheat quality will be better than last, according to the HGCA’s Provisional Cereals Quality Survey. image expired

The results, based on 18,000 wheat samples collected up to 31 August, showed a lower moisture content and higher Hagberg Falling Number (at a five year high of 284), specific weight and protein level, compared to 2010 and better than the three-year average. This suggests the 2011 crop may be of better quality than 2010, when 37 per cent of 2010 wheat samples made full bread milling specification (nabim group 1), although the full results, available in November, will give a clearer overall picture.

Average moisture content in this year’s wheat crop was recorded at 14.9 per cent, with an average protein content of 12.3 per cent, compared to 11.9 per in 2010, which puts this year’s crop 4 per cent higher than the three-year average.

Over 75 per cent of the wheat crop had been harvested by the beginning of this week, though rain in some parts was still slowing progress. Yields are just under the five-year average at between 7.5-7.7 tonnes per hectare. If the HGCA’s data is confirmed next month, the quality of the crop will make up for the lower yield; initial specific weights of 79.8kg/hl look to be the biggest since the 1980’s.

ADAS this week advised checking home-saved seed for fusarium this season, saying the unsettled weather late in ear development has brought higher risks of the pathogen’s presence in many crops.