NFC Tipple takes off across Europe
With shortage of good quality malting barley a big problem in 2007, the growth of at least one high-yielding spring variety across Europe should be good news to growers and buyers alike. It is estimated that 650,000 breeding crosses are needed to produce asingle variety of spring malting barley. So the chance of producing a variety successful in one country is small enough. The chance of producing one successful in more than 10 is even lower. But that is where NFC Tipple looks to be heading. As well as France, the UK, Germany and Denmark, NFC Tipple is also either commercialised or under development in at least 10 other countries, says Robert Hiles, European Malting Barley Business Manager for Syngenta Seeds. It is now also accepted by most European brewers, he adds. “It has become established in Europe extraordinarily quickly,” says Mr Hiles. “Itwasn’t long ago we were first launching NFC Tipple in European Barley Malt News. Now it is widely accepted,” he says. DoubledWhile about 4,000 hectares of NFC Tipple were grown for seed across Europe in 2006, Mr Hiles says this doubled to about 8,000 in 2007, and could increase to 12,000 hectares in 2008. |
Something for everyone – more grain for growers, efficient processing for end users NFC Tipple has enjoyed considerable European success “Exports of NFC Tipple within Europe also doubled last season. This provides a strong indication of its pan European acceptability,” he adds. One reason behind the good demand, believes Mr Hiles, was because grain nitrogen levels were often high for European malting barley in 2007. But NFC Tipple tends to produce low grain nitrogen levels, so provides an option for blending with other barley to bring the overall nitrogen content down. |
