Drinks giant Diageo has adjusted its requirements for malting barley in light of skinning problems being experienced by many farmers.
The firm, which is one of Scotland’s largest buyers of malting barley, will now accept skinning of up to 10% for Concerto and up to 6% for Belgravia – this is up from 8% and 4% respectively.
Other maltsters are also reported to have increased the threshold for skinning.
NFU Scotland welcomed the news and praised maltsters for taking into account this year’s difficult growing conditions.
Ian Sands, who chairs the union’s combinable crops committee, said: “We have had reports of skinning percentages well above the contract specifications so we very much welcome the decision by Diageo, mirrored by some other buyers, to increase the skinning allowance.
“Spring malting barley for whisky production is our most important cereal crop. We want to be able to supply the maltsters and distillers with what they want, and they want to buy it here rather than elsewhere. This decision will help fulfil the wishes of both buyers and sellers.”
He said the union would have liked the limits to be raised even further, because even with the change in specifications, many growers would still have their crops rejected and receive a lower price.
“However, we understand that maltsters have encountered problems of pre-germination when they have tried to process grain with very high levels of skinning,” he added.
He said work which was now being undertaken by cereals levy body AHDB Cereals and Oilseeds to look into the causes and cures for skinning, was a positive step forward for future years with similar growing conditions.
“Looking forward, we need to have varieties that meet the requirements of maltsters and distillers while at the same time allowing growers to meet quality standards even in difficult years such as this,” added Mr Sands.