MarketsFarm — Delayed spring seeding means new-crop feed barley has a few more weeks left in the field, which is keeping old-crop prices strong into summertime.

“We were expecting new-crop barley in the end of July, but with the later seeding date this year we’re not expecting to see new crop until at least mid- to late August,” said Allen Pirness of Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge.

“We have a couple extra weeks of old crop that we haven’t had for the past few years,” he said, adding that the grain is being bought one load at a time.

The widened gap between old crop and new, combined with steady demand, has kept prices firm.

Bids for old-crop barley delivered to Lethbridge are currently around $240 per tonne, whereas wheat bids are closer to $253.

— Marlo Glass reports for MarketsFarm from Winnipeg.