Difficult harvest weather and pressures on barley prices

摘要

The combine harvesters were active again with the European cereal crops in the first week of August, after many had started harvest operations in early July but then stopped as widespread inclement weather intervened. This took the form of rain storms that brought heavy precipitation over huge areas which were in great need of water, having been in deficit over many months. The rain was accompanied, in most parts, by unseasonally cold conditions and an almost total lack of sun and warmth. Thus, when harvest restarted there was a back up of work to take generally over-mature winter barley, mature spring barley and harvest-ready oilseed rape while wheat was not far behind.