The move came after it emerged that Swedish growers of the same variety of oilseed rape are due to receive between £148 and £254 per hectare in damages.
Around 450 Swedish growers planted 7000 hectares of Ritz last autumn, with most of them reporting poor germination levels and vigour.
Swedish farmers who destroyed the crop and left the land fallow waiting to sow in the autumn are to get SEK 3100/ha (around £254/ha). Those who decided to keep the crop until harvest and have less than 100 plants/m2 are to get the equivalent of £197/ha.
At the bottom end of the compensation scale are those who were able to sow a replacement spring crop. They are set to receive a refund of the seed cost plus £148/ha.
The variety was not as widely sown in Scotland and only 20 growers are known to be affected. At least 60 in England are known to have suffered from poor Ritz performance as well.
NFU Scotland’s cereals policy manager, Peter Loggie, said: “NFU Scotland has put a good deal of effort into gathering information from growers whose crops have been affected and has been working closely with the UK company marketing the Ritz variety.”
He added: “We have also met with Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture, the government executive agency which has been carrying out tests on the Ritz variety’s germination.
“The news that Swedish growers are due to receive compensation has reinforced the case for Scottish farmers. In fact, the compensation paid to Scottish growers should be higher because they would have expected higher yields than Swedish growers would.
“Any Scottish grower who has not completed and submitted the Senova proforma to their merchant should do so as a matter of urgency.”
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