ESCORT EARNS MORE MONEY FOR OILSEED RAPE GROWERS THIS YEAR

Crops of the conventional oilseed rape variety Escort, bred by Nickerson (UK) Ltd, have been earning high oil bonuses for growers this year, with many attracting premiums of over £15/t.

David Valender, who farms 1700 acres in North Gloucestershire, near Chipping Campden, grew 58 hectares (143 acres) of Escort this year. Drilled by the first week of September, the crop established and grew well, yielding around 3.6 t/hectare (1.5 t/acre), on grade 3 land, at harvest. At 46%, the oil content of the crop was well above the average expected in most winter oilseed rape varieties.

“This is the first time we have grown Escort, and we are delighted with how it has performed,” says Mr Valender. “The seeds looked lovely at harvest - black as a hat, every last grain. The fifteen pounds a tonne oil bonus we have received is very welcome, especially when prices for our other crops are looking so poor.

“Growing this crop has also been a low cost exercise. With just a pre-emergent herbicide, one fungicide treatment in the autumn, and a spray for flea beetle it has been very cost effective. We will be increasing the acreage of this variety to three hundred acres next year.”

Mr Valender buys his oilseed rape seed through Dalgety, which has been marketing Escort for the past four years.

“Our customers find Escort an easy variety to grow and manage,” says Barry Barker, who is responsible for seed sales at Dalgety.  “It is high yielding, has great disease resistance and performs well whatever the situation or year. The high oil contents that many are reporting back to us this autumn are an added bonus, and will increase the crop’s already significant contribution to the bottom line.  

“With results like this, Escort is likely to remain one of the most popular oilseed rape varieties for growing in the UK.”

For further information contact:

Lee Robinson on 01472 371471 or lrobinson@nickerson.co.uk