Just So You Come Prepared: Grain Challenges of 2024

The second half of 2024 promises numerous challenges to the milling industry. It’s crucial to prepare now, and we can help you address them right.

Heavy rains and droughts in the spring and early summer have led the European Commission to lower its 2024/25 soft wheat harvest forecast to a four-year low.

From the previously projected 120.8 million tons, we’re now down to 120.2 million.

France, Germany, and Poland are expected to experience the most significant declines in both quantity and quality of the harvest. Additionally, a variety of global factors are now limiting wheat import opportunities. It may reduce grain imports to 4.4 million tons from the previously expected 7.5 million: a dramatic 42% decrease.

Now the EU market is expected to see a critical reduction in the availability of high-quality grain. <br>

As the saying goes, "Preparation is half the battle."
That’s why we offer solutions for the anticipated grain issues in 2024 now.

Here are the Top-3 wheat defects you are most likely to see in the second half of 2024:

Problem #1: Low-Protein Wheat

Increased wheat yields and nitrogen deficiency disrupt the mineral balance in the soil, directly affecting the protein content in wheat.

This issue may lead to a market shortage of grain with normal and high protein levels, forcing bakery producers to seek solutions for flour enrichment.

We offer a natural alternative:

The Solution

GRAIN IMPROVERS Smart helps with processing low-protein wheat by improving the protein content in flour directly:

It increases the extraction of peripheral protein;
Dramatically enriches high-grade flour;
And most importantly — preserves the optimal flour color and quality.

Problem #2: High Falling Number Wheat

Excessive drought, systemic moisture deficiency in the soil, and strong winds reduce enzyme activity in grain, slowing endosperm formation.

It results in grain with low specific weight, small kernels, and a deep-rooted, hard-to-separate bran. Processing this grain leads to lower overall yields, a reduced share of high-value flour types, increased ash content, and deteriorated color.

For bakery producers, it practically means reduced dough and sourdough fermentation rates. They will get a product that stales faster, has a dense crumb, pale crust, and high crumbliness. To counter these issues, producers might turn to overreliance on excessive use of bread improvers, thereby raising baking costs.

The Solution

GRAIN IMPROVERS FN helps in processing high falling number wheat, improving the quality of flour and its fermentation capabilities.

In addition, if milling involves a large share of small, low-weight wheat, GRAIN IMPROVERS FN can:

Normalize and increase overall flour yields;
Expand the share of high-value grades;
And improve both color and ash content of the flour.

Problem #3: Low Falling Number Wheat

Heavy rains during the wheat ripening stage and harvest increase the proportion of grain with a low falling number.

When the endosperm is already formed, excess moisture activates the grain's own endosperm enzymes. As a result, starch hydrolyzes and we see excess sugars forming in the grain.

It leads to a number of issues:

A decrease in the falling number;
Deteriorated dough rheological properties;
And, in the worst case scenario, sprouting during storage.
This severe issue affected many in the 2023 season.

This severe issue affected many in the 2023 season.

Flour from such grain can bring a lot of unpleasant surprises to both millers and producers, particularly impacting bakers, pasta manufacturers, and the producers of starch and gluten.

The Solution

GRAIN IMPROVERS Smart helps reduce grain resting time and increases the proportion of larger flour particles in milling. It effectively protects the starch from grain’s own amylase attacks.

As a result, the Smart effect stabilizes dough rheological properties, and improves the quality of baked goods and pasta.

Introduction of the enzyme complex during the moistening stage before milling has multiple positive effects. It simultaneously:

Enhances the quality and quantity of milled products;
Saves energy;
And produces environmentally friendly products.

It also allows for gentler milling processes and helps you obtain naturally enriched, nutritious flour, while prolonging the equipment lifespan.

Now that you know what we’re about to see…

Reach out, share your story, tell us about the issues in grain quality your mill has to deal with. We’re here to solve these problems together.

Are you prepared well to work with this season’s challenging grain?
Did you face any of these challenges with wheat quality before?
Or maybe your mill has been affected by other grain defects?

The GRAIN IMPROVERS team will happily provide guidance and create a personalized forecast of the way our natural enzyme complexes can boost your mill’s efficiency in the most challenging and unpredictable circumstances.

Contact us to learn more and start preparing for the new season today!