Growers draw the short straw

While this winter has seen straw prices across the country soar, the British Hay and Straw Merchants Association this week claimed that next year should see a return to a “more balanced” market.

Speaking after a meeting of the organisation, president Mike Evison said that last year’s harvest had seen a combination of events which had exacerbated the situation.

“It was generally agreed the overall yield of straw from the last cereal crop harvest was a third down on the normal average,” he said. “This was caused by poor growing conditions and the situation was made worse with prolonged wet periods during harvest.”

He said that as a consequence of this was many farmers who usually left straw to be baled after combining had decided to chop – as the likelihood of having it baled quickly was remote.

He said that the situation had not been helped by an increasing demand for straw over the last two or three years from areas such as biomass burners and from crops going to anaerobic digestors.

Many of the organisation’s members supplied straw on contract and Evison said that most of those attending felt they would fulfil their obligations – however they had very little surplus for the usual winter spot trade.

“However,theconclusion of the meeting was that if the normal straw yield was achieved, supplies would meet demand and the price would stabilise at sensible figures after next harvest,” he concluded.

He added that records covering the past 28 years indicated there had only been one other severe straw shortage season.