January 2024 Newsletter
Agronomy:
As we get settled into the new year, a hint of spring is in the air. A small hint, but it feel’s we’ve turned a corner from a winter to forget! Crops across the board have visually improved in most areas, looking a lot perkier than they did in November. Spraying is now mostly up to date, a month or two delayed in a lot of places due to the continued rainfall. Time will tell if we stopped the BYDV in time, but that’s something we will not know for a couple of months.
As we turn our attention to the spring, this is a very important time to access crops for nutrient deficiencies and overall crop health. Tissue tests should be taken on the well-established crops to ensure they are at there full potential coming into the spring and start of the fertiliser spreading campaign. Unhealthy plants will always be compromised, not intaking and utilising the nutrients we will be applying or what’s available in the soil from previous cropping and the rotation. Rooting has likely been compromised this winter on most soil types, so ensure the plants have adequate phosphate, potash and zinc in the coming months to maximise root development before stem extension starts.
Other considerations will be your soil nutrient supply before applying the first dressing of nitrogen. Elements which affect this will be your amount of winter rainfall, soil type and previous cropping. The RB209 will give you a good indication as to your background fertility based on the three main elements above and help calculate the total spring nitrogen requirement.
With the recent excessive rainfall, there could be less fertility available than we would normally expect!
Richard Harris
Agronomist
Seed
We saw a flurry of activity in January which saw a significant amount of winter wheat head out to farms making the most of the favourable drilling conditions which briefly occurred, we can still offer some autumn varieties suitable for drilling up to mid February for any last minute weather windows that may occur.
Spring seed continues to be very short, with all cereals and pulses being very scarce, especially of malting varieties.
We have recently had access to a limited quantity of Laureate which may still be available so please enquire if you still need a spring barley.
The high price of what limited spring seed is available is leading to increased interest in environmental schemes and forage crops with Maize being particularly popular.
We are also in the process of reviewing our Grass offering for the spring and have secured the varieties needed for our specialist blends
Looking forward to Autumn the latest version of the AHDB recommended list is now available in print and online and makes for interesting reading, notably new group 3 Bamford likely to be popular this autumn.
Christian Maltby
Small Seeds Manager
Grain
As we head into 2024 global grain markets have accelerated their bearish tone, 80% of the worlds wheat crop is planted in the N. Hemisphere and with it being winter there isn’t much to talk about with the growing crop, instead it’s the normal projections and estimates dominating the agenda.
In its latest report the IGC estimates that 23/24 will see total global grain production outstrip consumption for the first time in 4 years, the exception here is wheat where consumption is estimated to be 11mmt more than production.
Weather prospects (rain) for both US Plains wheat and Argentinian corn, helped markets resume the January slide. Early projections for 2024 -25 Supply across all grains are for slightly reduced plantings particularly for wheat, but better yields to offset any impact. It’s easy to predict better yields in January. As consumption grows, world trade continues to shrink which seems an oddity - possibly just a symptom of a slackening in Chinas hitherto rapacious demand.
At home the latest AHDB UK cereals supply and demand estimate makes grim reading for the long holder. A severe lack of wheat exports and imports of wheat and corn means an unusually large end of season stock despite a smaller crop. End season stocks are estimated at 2.552mmt, up from 1.953 last year and the highest since the 2015/16 season.
However this stock is a potential solution to going someway to compensate for lower plantings this autumn, and with a £17 premium from May24 to Nov24 the numbers add up. It remains to see if this carry is latched onto, especially considering most of increase stock is from harvest 2022.
Edd Britton
Grain Trader
Fertiliser
Egyptian Urea has firmed by @ $50 since the turn of the year, with suppliers covering off shorts. Most Egyptian & Middle Eastern producers have sold out of production until March, continuing the firming trend.
Currently in the UK, Urea offers are below replacement values, but we are likely to see increases in pricing imminently, as stock positions reduce.
CF Fertilisers have sold out of Nitram for March and are now offering terms for April, but nothing before. We have Limus protected Urea 46N, that is better value per a unit of N, agronomically performs the same and is available for prompt delivery!
MOP values had been falling but have now stabilised. The current levels have not been reflected since Q3 of 2021 and demand has been strong.
TSP/DAP values remain been stable/firm. Bartholomew’s PhosphateDPluS 12.5N-32P-4K+2MgO+5CaO+14.5SO3 is a great alternative to straight DAP, trials have shown adding some Potash, Sulphur, Calcium and Magnesium with the Phosphate, increases nutrient uptake and establishment.
Simon Joyce
Fertiliser Trader
Game Feed
Using the Bartholomews’ Superior range of Game feed, you benefit by; Using a smaller amount to feed your birds; birds mature and develop earlier; birds develop a stronger immune system, and they achieve better food conversion. Therefore, achieving a higher survival rate, healthy birds mean fewer medical bills. At Bartholomews we use only the highest quality raw materials, we also provide a comprehensive advisory service and timed deliveries using our own fleet of vehicles.
Lavinia Jones
Feed manager
