Oilseed rape High prices fuel renewed
interest in oilseed rape • Drill crop early into good conditions
• Adequate moisture at an even depth • Optimise nutrition and control pests
this summer. High oilseed rape prices over recent months
G
have fuelled expectations that more rape will go into the ground this autumn. But agronomy fi rm Hutchinsons says growers should consid- er all options before a fi nal decision. Cabbage stem fl ea beetle remains the great- est concern in many areas. But seedbed mois- ture, slugs and pigeons remain constant threats to establishing crops successfully and building yield potential. Hutchinsons agronomist David Stead be- lieves the key behind a successful crop is drill- ing rape early into good conditions to establish strong, healthy, deep-rooted plants with great- er resilience.
Earlier is better “Generally, the earlier oilseed rape is sown, the better it performs,” he says. “Although fl ea beetle pressure is quite sea- sonal in this region, it’s clear that late sowing increases the risk of crop failure, and we’re al- most at a point where the 15-20 August is the cut-off for drilling.” Drilling seed in the fi rst week of September and hoping for the best simply doesn’t work, says Mr Stead. But he acknowledges that a decent seedbed earlier in the summer can be challeng- ing given the vagaries of the British weather. “Sowing into seedbeds with adequate mois-
ture, at an even depth with good seed-to-soil contact is vital for strong, consistent establish- ment, which can make subsequent pest pres- sure more tolerable.” Where winter wheat is cleared by the 15 Au-
rowers are being advised to think care- fully about getting the best from oilseed rape as more farmers return to the crop
The aim is strong, healthy, deep-rooted plants, says David Stead.
Pools protect against market fluctuations
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gust, growers should think longer-term about where oilseed rape fi ts within the rotation. For some growers, winter barley or an early-ma- turing wheat before rape could allow a more timely entry. Optimising nutrition in the seedbed and again in early spring will help exploit the nat- ural vigour of conventional and hybrid varie- ties, says Mr Stead. It is also important to con- trol other pests – including slugs and pigeons – through autumn and winter. “If crops are living with fl ea beetle larvae inside the stems, we cannot afford to have any- thing else that sets them back,” says Mr Stead. A slug infestation or pigeons could fi nish off a young crop already suffering from fl ea beatle damage, he suggests. Before growing any crop, Hutchinsons tech-
nical support manager Neil Watson says it is im- portant to identify the yield required to break even – and then ask whether this can be prac- ticably achieved. At a payment of £522/ha, the two-year leg- ume mix (AB15) under Countryside Steward- ship effectively sets a fl oor for potential returns – and means a rape yield of at least 2.3t/ha is needed to make the crop a better fi nancial op- tion, says Mr Watson.
Growers should consider whether break-even yields are possible
igh prices in recent months have made oilseed rape an attractive prospect – but the
market remains volatile.
Holding out for a peak price be- fore selling can work, says United Oilseeds – but growers must contin- uously pay close attention to mar- ket trends and movements to sell at the optimum moment. Optimism can disappear quickly when the market is depressed – re- placed by anxiety and apprehension, says the farmer-owned break-crop specialist. It is too easy to forget fall- ing prices and adopt a bury-your- head-in-the-sand approach. With oilseed rape, frequent and dramatic price fl uctuations are norm. Being caught out by the mar- ket is frustrating at best, but there is a safer haven available to farm- ers that helps protect against mar- ket squalls and storms. Pool marketing aims to deliver members with prices for their crop that beat the market’s average price. While this may not guarantee the peak price, United Oilseeds says its pools have delivered a higher than average market price over the last 14 years.
Specialists in oilseed rape mar-
keting, the farmer-owned co-opera- tive is a recognised market infl uenc- er, managing the largest rapeseed pools in the UK. It benchmarks against fi xed price sellers, compet- itors and daily market prices. Interim payments are made to growers 28 days after movement or store allocation. Haulage storage cleaning and drying charges are all deducted at fi nal settlement there- by providing a cash fl ow advantage to members.
JULY 2021 •ANGLIA FARMER 37
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