DEFRA puts UK wheat crop at 13.3m tonnes

UK wheat production fell by 13% this year to 13.3m tonnes, according to DEFRA’s provisional survey. Although the wheat area increased by 1.2%, yields fell by 14%, to 6.7t/ha, their lowest level since 1988.

The oilseed rape harvest declined by 7% to 2.6m tonnes, with yields down by 13% to 3.4t/ha. Barley yields dropped by 2.7% to 5.5t/ha, putting overall production almost unchanged on last year at 5.5m tonnes.

Smaller crops and poor milling quality meant wheat imports were set to reach a recent record of 1.7m tonnes, said a report by the HGCA. But higher usage meant the exportable surplus would reach a historic low at 750,000t. The barley surplus was also likely to be small at 888,000t, it added.

Meanwhile, the USDA has slashed its estimate of global wheat production by 6.2m tonnes. Slightly lower consumption meant ending stocks would drop to 173m tonnes. Coarse grain production was also cut, dropping ending stocks by 6.6m tonnes to 146m tonnes, while oilseed crops were 4.6m tonnes higher at almost 458m tonnes.

With 71% of the US soya crop harvested by 14 October, oilseed markets remained pressured, with UK rapeseed losing £6/t this week, to about £364/t ex-farm.

Market report