Hybrid barley growers could be in line for a share of almost £140,000 payout if their crops failed to outyield the leading conventional varieties this harvest.

Out of 593 growers registered with Syngenta’s Hyvido barley cashback guarantee this year, 41 were eligible to make a claim for an area totalling 2,320ha, meaning the breeder’s total payout could be almost £139,205.

Under the guarantee, growers are paid £60/ha if the hybrid barley crop fails to beat the yield of top conventional varieties by at least 0.5t/ha at their nearest reference network site.

See also: Harvest 2015 figures reveal 18-year high for barley

This compares with 178 growers who were eligible to claim in 2014 for the 25,382ha of hybrid barley which did not yield 0.5t/ha more than the conventionals, resulting in Syngenta paying out £357,000.

Syngenta’s seed and seedcare manger Mark Bullen told Farmers Weekly the scheme, which is about to be rolled out for a third year, gives growers a risk free guarantee.

“The 2015 season has shown the advantages of Hyvido over conventional barley in many cases throughout the UK and this year we had more growers sign up with a bigger area grown.

“It is worth remembering that although these growers were eligible to claim cash back this year, they may have actually beaten their own top yields,” he said.

“There are cases where their hybrid crop has outperformed the yield average for that farm, but the grower is still eligible for money back because the three local reference sites used had also yielded well.

“In a good year for barley, it is probably even more likely that a grower will get a payout because the conventional varieties are likely to have also yielded well.”

The 2015/16 Hyvido guarantee opens for applicants on 7 December and growers need to opt-in by 29 February 2016.

Visit Syngenta’s website for more information on the Hyvido barley cash back guarantee.

Criteria to qualify for the guarantee