UK: Farmers Fear Harvest Could Be The Worst Since 1968
September 11th, 2008Worst grain harvest in 40 years, but bread prices won’t rise?
Ok.
Via: Times Online:
Britain is facing its worst harvest for at least 40 years as 30 per cent of the country’s grain lies in waterlogged or sodden ground. Hilary Benn, the Rural Affairs Secretary, is expected to give the go-ahead today for farmers to salvage what is left of their crops by using heavy machinery on wet fields.
European Union rules ban farmers from using combine harvesters on wet land to protect soil quality. Those who flout the ban can be prosecuted. The exemption is expected to last for about three weeks.
The poor harvest is unlikely to lead to a rise in the price of bread, cakes, biscuits and flour, however. Gordon Polson, director of the Federation of Bakers, said that although much of the milling wheat was of a poor quality it could still be used for bread and flour.
He said: “The poorer wheat means it has less protein, but manufacturers can add gluten to ensure the proper quality for making bread. We are not happy and we may still have to import some milling wheat, but no one is talking about price rises for bread.”
I read that Russia had a bumper crop of wheat with this year’s climate. This really has to help out importers like Egypt and Iran.
It’s true: re Russia’s wheat harvest.
https://cryptogon.com/?p=3664
I’m not clear on whether they have the infrastructure in place to store and distribute it.