GTH Standing Straw Sales 2024
July 2024
Greenslade Taylor Hunt’s Agricultural Department at Sedgemoor Auction Centre, reported a sizeable entry of over 3,100 acres of standing straw being sold over two evenings by live auction.
Both evening auctions saw a large number of bids, both in person and through Marteye, the online bidding portal. No less than a third of the lots were purchased online this year, showing a growing trend for these sales. The following averages were obtained at the sales:
| West of Taunton | East of Taunton | |
| Winter Barley | £113.96/acre | £106.37/acre |
| Winter Wheat | £117.08/acre | £87.89/acre |
| Winter Oats | £118.61/acre | |
| Spring Barley | £81.40/acre | £68.45/acre |
| Winter Oilseed Rape | £39.18/acre | £40.78/acre |
The above averages represent increases of circa 10-15% increases on those achieved in the area in 2023, ignoring the winter oilseed rape which bizarrely dropped. Winter barley topped at £175/acre, winter wheat reached £170/acre, winter oats reached £130/acre, winter oilseed rape realised up to £55/acre and spring barley achieved up to £100/acre.
The buoyant trade can be attributed to livestock farmers in the South West having exceptionally empty bedding stores following a prolonged winter period. The growing season was difficult due to being exceedingly wet for what seemed like the whole season, which unfortunately led to many more ‘patchy’ crops being presented and also a lesser acreage being sown where growers either couldn’t get crops sown in time or leant towards later sown crops such as maize. The acreage of cereal crops being grown in the West Country does certainly appear to have dropped in recent years, with pressure from alternative crops and land uses, to include production lessening SFI options and crops destined for bio-digesters, to name but two.
If any farmers are looking to see what the auction system can offer them next season they are welcome to contact Tom Mellor or Greenslade Taylor Hunt’s Agricultural Team to discuss matters.
Tel: 01278 410250 or [email protected].