Samples from this year's UK wheat harvest show mixed quality, Britain's Home Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) said on Tuesday. "At this early stage, sample data point to a mixed wheat crop quality, with variable but deteriorating Hagberg falling numbers (a key indicator of bread-making quality) as the harvest progressed northwards," HGCA agronomist Rupert Somerscales said.
Britain's wheat harvest has dragged on into September this year after the wettest August on record disrupted combining - in sharp contrast with last year when good weather helped to produce one of the best quality crops on record.
Traders say heavy, intermittent downpours caused widespread quality problems in grain cut after the rains arrived.
The survey report by the HGCA, a self-financing official body, said test results were highly variable.
"Early results...indicate that despite the sample population being skewed towards earlier cut varieties in southern and eastern regions, Hagberg falling numbers are significantly below their three-year averages," Somerscales said.
Samples taken included 20-25 percent of the grain cut before the August rains arrived.
Somerscales said data for fields cut later would provide a more balanced picture.
The HGCA said average specific weight values ranged from 78.5 kg per hectolitre for an average Group 1 variety in the south-west of England to 73.2 kg/hl for Group 4 varieties in the centre of England.
However, Group 3 wheat produced some of the lowest specific weight values, from 73.7 kg for the Consort variety to 75.7 kg for Claire.
Barley appeared to have escaped the worst of the weather, the HGCA said.
"Results for the key barley varieties are generally in line with historical levels for most quality tests," the HGCA said.
"Nitrogen content and specific weight results are generally mixed and vary according to variety and location, whilst screening results are currently better than their three-year average levels," Somerscales said.
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