Growers told they can benefit from organic premium
THE Scottish Organic Producers Association (Sopa) is encouraging those who are considering making the switch to organic to do the sums, as all organic commodities currently have premiums.
Sopa board member Roger Baird, who is also director at grain merchant WN Lindsay, said: “The increasing demand for organic crops in Scotland has ensured a minimum of £100/t over their conventional counterparts.
“Confidence is now at a level where organic end-users are offering very attractive fixed price contracts for the 2017 harvest.”
Funding to switch to organic is available through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS), which has an application deadline of March 31. UNITED Auctions sold 601 store heifers at Stirling on Wednesday to a top of 271.3p per kg and an average of 228.8p (+13.8p on the week), while 1,382 store, beef-bred bullocks peaked at 294p and levelled at 235.3p (+11.9p). Twenty store, B&W bullocks sold to 173.8p and averaged 155.5p (+15.5p).
In the rough ring 111 beef cows sold to £1,550 per head and 181.7p per kg to average 129.3p (-2.2p), while 19 beef cows peaked at £1,070 and 116.9p to level at 104p (+4.6p).
C&D Auction Marts Ltd sold nine prime heifers in Dumfries on Wednesday to a top of 224p and an average of 204.2p.
There were 55 OTM cattle presented in the rough ring when beef cows sold to £963.60 and 171p to average 125p, while dairy cows peaked at £1,181.25 and 132p to level at 107.5p.
The firm also sold 530 prime hoggs to a top of £88 per head and 191p per kg to average 171.3p (+13.1p).
A nice show of 397 cast sheep saw heavy ewes sell to £140.50 for Texels and average £72.17, while light ewes peaked at £61.50 and levelled at £35.64.
Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd had 1,553 prime hoggs forward at their weekly sale in Newton Stewart on Wednesday that incorporated a show and sale of Blackface prime hoggs held on behalf of the Dumfries & Galloway Branch of the Blackface Sheep Breeders’ Association.
The champion rosette was awarded to Messrs McIlwrick, Balmurrie a pen that scaled 47kg each and went on to sell for £87.
One-hundred Blackface show hoggs averaged £76.90 (45kg at 171p/kg). Those not forward in the show peaked at £82.50 for a pen of Suffolks and 194.3p for lightweight Beltex, with the overall average for all the hoggs sold (including the show Blackfaces) levelling at 166.6p (+6.3p).
A smaller offering of 102 cast sheep peaked at £98 for a Suffolk cross ewe and £87 for Texel cross ewes. micro management, aversion to risk and a fear of failure.
The report concludes that building the right behaviours will be key to addressing the other main weaknesses identified by the research. It notes the need for better organisational structures and increased management skills in the industry, for improvements in the planning work done before projects get under way, and for firms to take a collaborative approach to addressing issues that arise.
The OGA, which is led by chief executive Andy Samuel, said it will work with firms that operate oil and gas fields to ensure lessons learned from the study are applied.
The 38 completed projects covered by the study had budgets of £50m plus each. All were likely approved amid the boom that ended in 2014 as global supplies increased faster than demand.