The second provisional estimates of AHDB/HGCA's Cereal Quality Survey (CQS) 2013, released on Monday, show a year-on-year improvement in GB wheat and barley quality, generally supporting earlier results released in September.

Grain quality is shown as similar to, if not better than, pre-2012 values. Poor weather conditions (heavy rainfall and little sunlight) seriously affected most major crops in the UK.

According to HGCA, wheat is of a consistently high quality across the regions, which the levy board said "can mainly be attributed to the warm and dry weather received across GB during harvest."

Wheat

The second set of results released this week are based on 44,000 wheat samples, almost 2.5 times more than the initial estimates, as data received up to 1st October has been incorporated into the estimates. Grain quality of nabim group 2, 3 and 4 varieties is better reflected than in the previous release, as the second half of harvest provided more samples for inclusion in the survey. Despite this, nabim group 1 varieties still make up 35 percent of the samples analysed.

The Eastern region remains the area where most of the samples originated and is responsible for 48 percent of the total samples analysed. However, the number of samples received from Northern and South West England increased the most, compared to when the first estimates were released in September.

Overall, Specific weights are above the three year average at 77.1 kg/hl, but slightly below the 2009-11 average of 77.5 (the approximate range for 2013 is 70.9-83.0 kg/hl). HGCA reiterated that poor weather in 2012 had distorted the latest three-year average. Even so, protein content was higher than either period and moisture levels were lower.

The Hagberg Falling Number fell from 334s in the first provisional results to 319s, due to the increase in the proportion of group 2, 3 and 4 varieties analysed, but remains at its highest recorded value since 1990. The approximate range for 2013 is 186-442s.

Barley

HGCA said a steep increase in samples between its two survey releases reflects both the later harvest date and the larger spring area planted.

As a result, Scottish barley data is available, which accounted for 19 percent of the second sample. Eastern England still accounts for a third of all GB samples analysed.

Barley specific weight in Scotland to date, standing at 66.7 kg/hl, is lower than the GB average, but still above the Scottish 2009-11 average (64.9 kg/hl). The GB average is 67.8 kg/hl and the approximate range for 2013 is 62.8-72.5 kg/hl.

Similarly, although the nitrogen content for Scottish samples (1.61%) is below the GB average, HGCA said it is the highest value recorded for Scotland since 2007. The GB average is 1.68 percent – higher than the 3-year average and similar to the final result obtained in 2011 (approximate range for GB is 1.3-2.1%).

Scottish screening results to date are 1.7% and 95.2% for grain through a 2.25mm sieve and grain retained by a 2.5mm sieve respectively. These are better than the GB average. However, HGCA said all Scottish barley results may change as more data is collected. Results for GB as a whole put screenings slight;y below the 3-year average, at 1.8% passing through a 2.25mm sieve (approximate range 0-8%), and 94.9% being retained by a 2.5mm sieve (approximate range 81-96%).

Wheat

Barley