Harrington, Stein and Excel.
It sounds like a Christmas wish list for Pokemon characters.
Actually these names are found on the Malting Barley Industry Group’s annual list of recommended varieties. The group comprises individuals growing, delivering, marketing, handling and processing prairie-grown malting barley.
This is the third year for the list.
“Growers had been asking us for a signal from the marketplace as to which varieties are going to be in demand in the coming season,” said Michael Brophy, program manager for the Canadian Wheat Board and member of the malting group.
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“The recommended list is an attempt by the marketing side of the industry to give those signals to growers.”
Producers should also consider the agronomic side of the equation, said Brophy.
The list is divided into two-row and six-row varieties and there are three categories: recommended, limited and not-recommended.
Harrington and Stein were the only two-row varieties that retained their recommended listing. AC Oxbow and B1215 were demoted to the limited category due to declining market demand.
Limited varieties are either new varieties undergoing market development and commercial testing, or older varieties with reduced commercial demand. They should be grown only if the grower receives a commitment from a local elevator, a company with proprietary rights to those varieties or a maltster that is selecting that variety.
AC Metcalfe, CDC Kendall and CDC Stratus are three new-generation varieties that made the limited category because they are experiencing growing market demand, particularly in the domestic malting industry. Merit (TR970) is an American variety undergoing market development and testing and is listed in the limited column.
Growers should pay close attention to the remarks that accompany the recommendations. For instance, growers in eastern Saskatchewan may not want to seed as much AC Oxbow as they have in the past because there is declining market demand. They may want to try one of the new varieties in the limited column like Metcalfe, Stratus or Kendall, said Brophy.
Excel, Robust and B1602 are recommended for six-row varieties because they are either “established” or “widely accepted” in the U.S.
Foster was demoted to the limited column due to lagging demand south of the border. CDC Sisler (BT433) is new to the list, landing in the limited column due to growing demand.
Stander has been demoted to the not-recommended category. There is no demand from the malting market.
“It may still be a variety they may wish to grow for seed,” said Brophy.
Last year, blue six-rows were not-recommended, but this year they have been left off the list entirely because the group feels producers know blue six-rows are not in demand.
“They are not required by the malting industry and (producers) should not grow them.”
