Higher wheat yields and land for biofuels

UK wheat production and farmers' long-term prospects

Sir, Professor Bryan Reuben (letter, Oct 6) is only partly correct with his statement that farmers were not encouraged to grow wheat until entry to the Common Market brought in import controls to this country, thereby raising prices.
The main reason for the increased production is that average yields per acre doubled between the mid-1970s to mid-1990s due almost entirely to the advent of higher-yielding varieties that, combined with higher prices, made wheat cultivation very profitable.
Richard Mitham
Alton, Hants
Sir, Despite this year’s wheat production being lower than in 2008, UK stocks are at double the levels of the five-year average — five million tonnes against the five-year average of 2.5 million tonnes. In fact, in the past ten years we have produced nearly 16 million tonnes four times.
The long-term prospects are positive with UK farmers able to produce more if the correct market and policy signals are in place. The 2009 harvest reflected falling cereal markets and higher crop input costs affecting production directly.
Biofuels are an efficient use of land, producing both an important low-carbon fuel to replace fossil fuels and also a high protein co-product that can help to reduce our dependence on imported protein for animal feeds.
Peter Kendall
President, NFU