Early adopted cereal and rape varieties

The results from a recent survey of farmers, conducted by the National Farm Research Unit (NFRU), indicate that nearly one-third of arable farmers (30%) interviewed said that they had planted a new wheat variety for the first time this year. Oilseed rape farmers interviewed also reported that they too were adopting new rape varieties with 23% doing so, whilst just 14% of barley growers said they had tried a new barley variety.

With over 1475 arable farmers giving a positive answer to which wheat varieties did you grow for the first time in the current season, 30% of winter wheat growers across the UK said that they grew a variety for the first time. The Group 1 variety Gallant was the most popular new variety. Other wheat varieties included the Group 3 Scout and Group 4s Duxford, JBDiego, Oakley and Viscount.

The NFRU survey indicated some regional variation with regard to new winter wheat varieties however, with arable farmers in Yorkshire and Humberside being the real early adopters, with 35% of them growing a new wheat this year. Arable farmers in the East and East Midlands (32% of farmers respectively) were also taking on a new variety. Regions less likely to grow a new winter wheat were the North West Region (21%), Scotland (22%) and the South West (24%), says Jim Williams of the NFRU.

The survey indicated that around a quarter (23%) of the 914 oilseed rape farmers who were interviewed said that they grew a new variety this current season, with the conventional variety DK Cabernet being singled out by 30% of these growers as being the most popular. Other varieties being grown for the first time included Vision (14% of growers) and Excalibur (8%). A further 32 different varieties were grown for the first time. Looking at the regional variation, 28% of arable farmers in the South Eastern Region said that they were growing a new winter oilseed rape, 25% did so in the East Midlands and the West Midlands and 24% in the Eastern Region. Farmers in the North East (17%) and in Yorkshire and Humberside (19%) were less likely to grow a new rape variety.

Barley growers appeared to be less likely to try out new varieties, although 14% said that they were doing so this season. Popular newly planted varieties were Cassata (16% of growers) and Cassia (9%) for the winter crop and Concerto (7%), Quench (6%) and NFC-Tipple (5%) for the spring crop. Four years ago just 5% of growers were trying out a new barley variety.

Jim Williams points out that 19% of Scottish growers and 20% of growers in Yorkshire and Humberside had adopted a new barley variety this season. Regions less likely to be planting a new barley variety were Wales, the South East, the South West and the West Midlands.

The NFRU poll result indicates that, with the many varieties being developed by the plant breeders and being brought forward onto the recently announced HGCA Recommended Lists, arable farmers are keen to try out these new and progressive varieties that satisfy their agronomic and market aspirations, says Jim Williams.

The National Farm Research Unit is a full service, applied market research unit, based in Framingham, Suffolk. The NFRU conducts research projects in all agriculture, livestock, food and many other business-to-business sectors and contacts 40,000 farmers, vets, merchants and consumers per year on a rolling basis in the UK, Ireland and internationally. It has a unique targeted database of contacts and a highly skilled and experienced interviewing team, asking questions about current practices and attitudes. It is involved in ad hoc surveys and syndicated surveys for a wide range of clients.

Precision Prospecting. Established in 1993, Precision Prospecting is a Research Driven Marketing company, specialising in agriculture, animals and food. It has brought together the disciplines of pure market research, product management, marketing and sales in order to help R & D manufacturers deliver practical marketing to drive sales. It has offices in Framingham, Suffolk.