Centre will put barley at the hub of Scots farming

'Downstream' use of barley generates billions for the economy. Picture: David Cheskin/PA

An international barley hub, based in Dundee, could be up and running by 2019 if yesterday's presentation to MPs at Westminster by a group of Scottish scientists, researchers and farmers succeeds in gaining support for the initiative.

The proposals to set up a new centre of excellence have been drawn up by the James Hutton Institute (JHI), in conjunction with the University of Dundee, with the aim of creating a platform for the translation of barley research into economic, social, environmental and commercial impacts for the breeding, farming, malting, brewing, feed, food, health and related industries.

While discussions on the project are already ongoing with the Scottish Government, Westminster MPs were yesterday told that while the barley crop itself was worth £600 million to the UK economy, the downstream industries of malting, distilling, whisky and animal feed generated more than £6 billion for the economy each year.

Cheers to barley, whisky’s key ingredient