Latest market prices, news and analysis INPUT MARKETS AND PRICESFarmers cut fertiliser use in response to rocketing pricesMajor disruption to fertiliser supplies from the Middle East has led to prices surging throughout the spring and becoming unaffordable for many farm businesses. Global nitrogen demand is forecast to… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESImproved OSR crop offers relief for UK growersGrowers with oilseed rape in the ground are generally faring better than at this time last year, with crops progressing well and farmgate prices remaining relatively supported. More than 80%… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESUK beef and sheep numbers contract at worrying rateThe UK’s beef suckler herd has declined by 20% in the past decade, with 313,000 fewer breeding beef cows on farm than in 2015. This worrying trend has continued in… BUSINESSFarmers hit by red diesel price surge as PM offers no reliefFarmers facing a sharp rise in red diesel costs were told during a Commons debate on the Middle East crisis that the government was “looking at contingencies” but had offered… DAIRY MARKETS AND PRICESSupply chain adjudicator seeks dairy farmer feedbackDairy producers are being encouraged to share their views on milk pricing and supply chain relationships with Defra’s agricultural supply chain adjudicator. A sharp fall in farmgate milk prices in… INPUT MARKETS AND PRICESAg inflation at highest rate since invasion of UkraineAgricultural input inflation - agflation - is now rising at its fastest rate since early 2022, with the war in the Middle East signalling an even tighter squeeze on margins… MARKETS AND TRENDSArable farmers struggle to invest in new tractorsArable farming regions of the UK are lagging behind the rest of the country in terms of new tractor purchases, as rising costs and stagnant prices continue to squeeze margins.… LAND MARKETSFarms and bare land launch from Northumberland to DevonA range of bare blocks of land and smaller holdings are the bulk of new launches this week. But one farm is larger in scale and offers a blank canvas… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESUK wheat futures fall to £173/t in response to Iran ceasefireThe provisional agreement of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz shipping route has weighed on global commodity prices this week.… MARKETS AND TRENDSOrganic producers gain access to Japan’s booming marketBritish organic producers have gained new access to Japan’s fast-growing market after the UK and Japan mutually recognised organic livestock standards from 1 April 2026, reducing trade barriers. The agreement… CROPS MARKETS AND PRICESSugar beet growers offered sustainability paymentsBritish Sugar has launched a new voluntary scheme, which will financially incentivise sugar beet growers to reduce carbon emissions on farm. The initiative will offer growers financial rewards for carrying… MEAT MARKETS AND PRICESDairy accounts for growing share of cull cow marketPoorer returns for dairy farmers throughout the winter have prompted an increase in the number of dairy cows being culled, while culls from the suckler beef herd appear more stable.… More articles
