Merchant warns of grass seed shortfall

Written by Jamie Day

A seed distributor is warning of grass seed shortages, particularly for popular varieties, as livestock farmers look to reseed pastures this autumn. The tight supply follows the hot, dry summer in 2018 across the UK and Europe. “Any shortfall from the 2018 harvest will continue until new seed is available in spring,” says Simon Travers, […]

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[Chris F]

Has anyone else heard this? @Great In Grass is this correct?

 

[som farmer]

excuse to up the price

 

[Chris F]

excuse to up the price

Same had crossed my mind - its amazing how many crop protection products are "rumoured" to be in short supply. Only a few ever are.

 

[jondear]

@Great In Grass has said this months ago!

 

[Wooly]

Just trying to get farmers to panic buy it and lift the price !

I heard sheep and beef was in very short supply........but don't tell the media as there will be panic buying !

 

[Great In Grass]

Has anyone else heard this? @Great In Grass is this correct?

The large seed houses seem to be fine and are able to supply the mixtures quoted in their seed catalogues.

This seasons crop is now being harvested and in some cases for the past 10 days. Once cleaned, germ tested, certified it should be available from mid-August I don't think any seed house will be holding stock back for spring if they can sell it now!

Perhaps it should read 'my supplier is running short/out of particular varieties'?

 

[Great In Grass]

excuse to up the price

The price of our most popular dual-purpose long term ley increased by 4.27% on last year, over its minimum 7-year life span the cost of this ley works out at around £8.00/year pretty good value I'd say.

 

[Great In Grass]

@Great In Grass has said this months ago!

Organic grass seed was looking in short supply early on and most of my customers ordered early and are now beginning to receive their orders. Because of this, I haven't had to order any of late so I'm not really sure of the situation with regards to organic.

 

[Great In Grass]

One final thing regarding prices out of the 5 seed suppliers I use for grass NOT ONE has increased their prices since they released their 2019 prices back in Feb/March and since we have gone past the end of June I can't see any price rises on the horizon.

 

[Wooly]

Organic grass seed was looking in short supply early on and most of my customers ordered early and are now beginning to receive their orders. Because of this, I haven't had to order any of late so I'm not really sure of the situation with regards to organic.

From what I see of organic, the Soil Association allow a percentage of non organic seed in their mixes.

............At least part of the mixture will be weed free !

 

[Great In Grass]

From what I see of organic, the Soil Association allow a percentage of non organic seed in their mixes.

............At least part of the mixture will be weed free !

30% of an organic mixture can legally be made up of conventional seed.

 

[jondear]

From what I see of organic, the Soil Association allow a percentage of non organic seed in their mixes.

............At least part of the mixture will be weed free !

What are you saying that seed company's are selling weeds as organic that makes no sense!

 

[Wooly]

30% of an organic mixture can legally be made up of conventional seed.

I don't dispute that. Just another inconsistency that the organic rule makers don't tell their end consumers.

What are you saying that seed company's are selling weeds as organic that makes no sense!

Not saying that. Just saying that conventional grass seed comes from pastures that have been sprayed and therefore what is combined for seed is 99.9% pure.

Must be very hard to extract every weed seed out of a pasture that only gets planted and then harvested.