THE MALTING barley market will get back into balance following the over supply problems of last year – but it will take a year to sort out – according to Ian Keith, chairman of the Agricultural Industry Confederation’s Scottish arable committee chairman.

Speaking at a press briefing in Edinburgh, this week, he said that with wheat, oilseed and grass sowings well up on the year, there would be a drastic reduction in spring barley, but even that would not bring the market back into balance.

He said that, in Scotland, the reduction would be of the order of 15-25%, with possibly 30% in England. This was, he said, bad news for growers waiting patiently for malting contracts which were likely only to be offered on a ‘drip feed’ basis.

Farmers have been slow to commit to barley this spring, with up to 25% of the crop in the balance and it looked like April will be the big decision month.