The Farmers Mart Oct-Nov 2018 - Issue 59 | Page 27

ARABLE 27
• OCT/NOV 2018
Underinsurance warning for farmers,
after hot summer pushes up crop values
FARMERS are being
warned that they are run-
ning the risk of being under-
insured, after the sustained
hot summer sparked a hike
in crop values.
The value of wheat, hay,
straw, cereals, and other
arable crops has soared
following months of hot, dry
weather, prompting Lycetts
to urge farmers to check
their insurance cover is ad-
equate, particularly when it
comes to crop storage.
For example, average hay
and straw prices have al-
most doubled in some parts
of the UK, yet many policies
only insure stacks up to the
value of £30,000.
Farmers can take steps,
such as splitting up stacks
and ensuring they are kept
at least 20 metres apart, but
William Nicholl
they also advised to contact
their insurance provider to
check they have the correct
level of cover.
William Nicholl, head
of rural at Lycetts, said:
“This summer has been
a challenging one. The
adverse weather resulted
in low crop yields, which
has inevitably pushed up
prices and affected market
values.
“With so much to deal
with, insurance may be
the last thing on farmers’
minds, but it is even more
imperative that farmers are
adequately covered, given
the trying times.
“Some farmers may not
be aware that the increase in
wheat values, for example,
means that their grain store
is holding a higher value
of wheat than in previous
years, which would have an
impact on the policy limit.”
lycetts.co.uk
SHEEP
Potato shortage forcing
UK grocers to evolve
The anticipated shortage of potatoes due to the
unusually dry British summer may not be as harmful
as expected, as it coincides with falling demand and
a more flexible approach from retailers, according to
GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
THE Agriculture and Horticulture Develop-
ment Board (AHDB) anticipate that the total
area dedicated to potato planting in Great
Britain will fall by around 3% on 2017 – the
third lowest area on record. As a result,
availability to supermarkets will decline
in late October 2018 as the central crop is
picked mid-September. In anticipation, Mc-
Cain Foods, which makes a range of potato
products, has announced plans to increase
prices by 20% in September.
With consumers increasingly aware of
the levels of farm-grown vegetables being
discarded based on appearance, estimat-
ed at around 30%, most of the UK’s major
grocers have agreed to address the supply
challenge by relaxing the presentation
standards. For example, Tesco is now less
strict about ‘dry scab’ in potatoes, Mor-
risons is promoting its ‘Wonky’ range of
fruit and vegetables, and Aldi has stated it
will be flexible on crop-damage specifica-
tions.
Thomas Brereton, Retail Analyst at
GlobalData, comments: “The move to-
wards selling less-than-perfect vegetables
will gain traction with shoppers concerned
about food waste and the environment, so
retailers won’t be too upset with relaxing
regulations.”
The demand side of the potato market is
also evolving, with potato sales in the UK
reported to have fallen in recent years.
https://www.globaldata.com
DRY SUMMER MAY
NOT HAVE KILLED
OFF LIVER FLUKE
The Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep
(SCOPS) and Control of Cattle Parasites
Sustainably (COWS) groups are urging sheep
and cattle farmers to not be complacent
about liver fluke this autumn. It would be
wrong for producers, the groups say, to
assume the dry summer has killed all the
liver fluke parasite and the mud snails
that are part of its complex life cycle.
SPEAKING on behalf of SCOPS, sheep
consultant Lesley Stubbings says: “This
summer has been the hottest and driest
on record in many parts of the UK. This
means that, overall, the burden of liver
fluke on pasture will be much lower
than last season – but it is dangerous to
assume this applies to all farms or even
in all areas on a farm.”
Experts from SCOPS and COWS say, in
a dry year, it is even more important that
each farm does its own liver fluke risk
assessment and carries out monitoring and
testing to avoid getting caught out. There
will be huge variation between regions and
farms. Tools available include specific blood
tests, copro (dung) antigen tests and faecal
egg detection tests. Both the SCOPS and
COWS websites have details on when it is
best to use these tests, and vets can advise
on how to use them most effectively.
www.scops.org.uk