Barley
Barley is Ireland’s most widely grown cereal crop, with approx 175,000 hectares planted each year.
Typically, this is split as 60% spring barley, and 40% winter which between them produce approx 1.2 to 1.3 million tonnes of grain each year. Barley straw is also a very valuable by-product of this crop, which is eagerly sought after by the many livestock farmers in the country.
The vast majority (75%) of the national barley crop is sold as feed grain, used for cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry. About 22% of the national crop grown is classified as ‘malting barley’ and is used in the drinks industry for brewing, distilling and roasting. Approx 3% of the crop is grown for seed production each year.
Winter Barley
KWS TARDIS
11-12 x KWS Orwell. Exciting new winter barley variety from KWS which looks like it will be the…
KWS PATRIOT
(Infinity x Tower) x California. New 2-row variety from KWS which is a candidate variety for…
PIXEL
Etincel x (Henriette x Limpid). Very high yielding conventional 6-row variety from Secobra which…
VALERIE
207-589 x Sandra. German variety first listed in 2019 which took 19% market share last autumn. High…
KWS CASSIA
(Eden x Carat) x Saffron. Longest serving variety on current Rec List and it still remains…
KWS INFINITY
KWS Cassia x Retriever. High yielding 2-row on the 2020 Irish Rec List with a yield rating of 97.…
Spring Barley
SY ERRIGAL
Dragoon x Mickle. New addition to Rec List this year with a relative yield of 101. Displays good…
GERALDINE
(KWS Irina x RGT Planet) x Laureate. One of only a few varieties to beat Planet in DAFM National…
RGT PLANET
Tamtam x Concerto. Second most popular variety grown in Ireland again this year with approx 30% of…
GANGWAY
Zeppelin x (Natasia x Kathinka). Most popular variety grown this year with approx 33% market share.…
PROSPECT
KWS Irina x Overture. Bred by Sejet in Denmark, Prospect was the first 'non-GN' malting barley…