Approximately 26,250t of new crop feed barley is being exported from the UK to Spain, aboard a 200m long vessel named the Federal Cedar.

This is the first large vessel of Gleadell Agriculture’s export campaign; the bulk carrier was loaded at Great Yarmouth this week and is expected to depart for Spain at some stage today.

Its cargo is expected to help meet good demand from the continent, Gleadell Agriculture – one of the major grain traders in the UK – added.

The Federal Cedar is laden with the equivalent of 900 truckloads of barley. This shipment is providing “prompt movement of grain” for many farm businesses across Norfolk, Suffolk and beyond, Gleadell Agriculture’s Trading Director, Jonathan Lane, said.

The cargo accounts for well over 10% of the tonnage expected to leave UK shores during the harvest period.

“Overall, winter barleys in France had achieved average yields and quality – but a more positive picture for the spring crop and a good forecast for UK and Scandinavian crops had seen values retrace,” Lane added.

Early UK yield reports had been positive, at 7.5-8.5t/ha, he explained.

barley

Image source: Twittermage

The barley on board the Federal Cedar is destined for Spain. It is expected that the grain will be used for animal feed, in an effort to help farmers affected by drought in the country.

Built in 2016, the Federal Cedar measures about 200m in length and it is nearly 24m wide. It weighs in at about 34,500t deadweight.

UK barley harvest

Meanwhile, according to Gleadell Agriculture, the barley harvest in the UK arrived between seven and 10 days earlier than normal this year.

Many tillage farmers in the south and East Anglia took advantage of the good weather in the first week of July, it added.

Quality of early winter barley samples are mixed, Gleadell Agriculture explained. In general, results are better than a year ago, although there are some high screenings present, it said.