Ireland

Low protein in Irish barley puts pint under threat

IRELAND’S REPUTATION for producing some of the world’s best beer could be under threat because of an EU regulation, it has been…

SEÁN Mac CONNELL Agriculture Correspondent
Sat Aug 21 2010 - 01:00

IRELAND’S REPUTATION for producing some of the world’s best beer could be under threat because of an EU regulation, it has been claimed.

Protein levels in Irish malting barley crops over the past two harvests have fallen to a level where brewers may no longer be able to use them to make world famous beer such as Guinness.

Because of the EU nitrates directive which limits fertilizer use, farmers growing the crops to supply the trade, cannot increase nitrogen levels to increase protein levels.

David Wilkes, deputy chief executive of Boortmalt, the French company which now owns the Greencore Malting operations here, said over the past two years protein levels in the Irish crop had fallen.

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“Two things have happened. One is the ending of sugar beet growing which was an excellent rotation crop and the second is the nitrates directive,” he said.

He explained maltsters need protein levels of between 9 and 10 per cent but Irish malting barley levels were falling below that figure for the past two harvests.

“The malting industry needs locally sourced quality material to survive. The alternative for us would be to import barley but that is not sustainable in our case,” he said.

He said his company was committed to an Irish-based malting industry and currently took grain from 600-700 growers but the current rules were putting the future of the industry at risk.

Boortmalt is the largest malting company in the State and with the other largest operator, MCI which has over 250 suppliers, Irish grain farmers supply over 130,000 tonnes of grain into the malting trade.

Teagasc, the agriculture and food development authority, confirmed low protein levels in some crops last year and initial indications were of similar difficulties with crops currently being harvested.

“Recognising the importance of the malting barley industry to Irish tillage producers and to the wider economy, Teagasc researchers and advisers are working on the difficulties encountered and the causes of low grain protein in malting barley over the last two years,” said a statement.