Barley yields and quality impress

Barley crops continue to prove they are a shining light this season, with promising early results in NSW expected to be repeated in Victoria.

Barley crops continue to prove they are the shining light for this season, with growers reporting good quality and high yields.

Early results from southern NSW have shown that a large portion of the crop has made malt grade and returned decent yields.

And in Victoria, growers are looking to get into the paddocks this week to strip crops after the recent heavy downpours.

At Navarre in the Wimmera, Shane Bibby estimates his Maximus barley crop, set to be harvested this week, could yield up to 5.5 tonnes a hectare.

“We will try and get a start soon,” he said.

Navarre largely missed the deluge of rain that arrived in Victoria and southern NSW last week.

“If we had that rain and storms, we probably wouldn’t be looking at harvesting this week,” he said.

Despite falls of up to 140mm at Deniliquin, the Navarre property received 4mm in the past week.

Shane Bibby with his Kelpie called Macey in a barley crop at Navarre. Picture: Zoe Phillips

In addition to barley, Mr Bibby also grows wheat, canola, faba beans, oats, oaten hay and vetch hay.

After the constant wet weather in October last year, he said 2023 had been a welcome turnaround for cropping.

At Marrar in southern NSW, Dan Fox said barley had emerged as a “big winner” this year.

“In terms of yield and quality, all of ours went malt quality,” he said.

Overall, the barley averaged around 5 tonnes/ha on Mr Fox’s property.

“Barley never tends to let you down too much,” he said.

L-R: Jarrod, Shane, Jaxon (Shane's son) and Elise Bibby and Kelpie named Macey. Picture: Zoe Phillips

Mr Fox also grows canola, wheat, chick peas, lupins, lentils and oats.

“We are nearly finished harvest; we’ve only got a few days to go once it dries out after the recent rain,” he said.

The summer rain has allowed him to sow some millet.

Market Check chief executive Nick Crundall said barley was making around $330 to $360 a tonne delivered to port.

He said a large percentage of the crop was earning a $10 to $15 a tonne premium for making malt quality.

The malt premium was up to $20 a tonne earlier in the season.

In addition, he said the market was holding up well, buoyed by solid buying support from China.