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All articles about Crops markets and prices

Check the latest futures prices and spot and forward prices for feed wheat, milling wheat, oilseed rape, feed barley, peas and beans. Keep fully informed of what is happening in the crop and grain markets with our prices news and trends analysis and the market outlook for growers.

Advice and tips

BUSINESS

Crop buyers' contract terms farmers should be vigilant about

Growers should check the annual terms of trade issued by buyers to make sure they are aware of all requirements and restrictions, say advisers. These terms apply for each crop…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

How to use grain futures and options to manage risk

Grain futures and options provide a way of managing volatile grain markets, but understanding how they work is critical to using them successfully. The futures market is a formal, regulated…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Trading grain: Advice on locking in to profitable prices

Many arable farmers are not taking a rigorous enough approach to grain trading to protect themselves from losing money in volatile grain markets, say experts. James Bolesworth, director of independent…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

How to avoid costly disputes over grain contracts

Contracts are legally binding documents and set out the agreed quantity, quality and delivery aspects of a deal between the arable grower and merchant. However, many growers don’t take time…

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Case studies

Get more for your grain with free online auction site

Both merchants and growers are benefiting from a new free online grain trading site, developed in the South Downs by a grower and computer developer. Growers are saving time in…

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Insights

BUSINESS

Outlook 2025: Sugar beet prices depressed but break even

When the 2024-25 campaign contract offer was finally announced in December 2023, many growers felt the headline price of £40/t did not reflect the futures market, which suggested a value…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Outlook 2025: Pressure on for higher potato contract prices

Potato prices began to rise following the poor 2022 harvest, says Andersons director Nick Blake. This was compounded by the wet conditions that hampered the 2023 campaign, producing just 4.8m…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Outlook 2025: Complex picture for combinable cropping

Combinable crop production might appear relatively straightforward when compared with more intensive farm enterprises, but the level of complexity depends on the grower's perspective and the demands placed on them.…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Pea and bean markets wait to see quality of harvest 2024

Predicting the pulse acreage and crop size is always a challenge, with no confirmation of what is in the ground until the results of the annual June census are released,…

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News

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Grain markets fall in anticipation of new Black Sea deal

Global grain markets have slipped further following news that Russia may look to restart the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which previously allowed the safe passage of Ukrainian grain through the…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Sugar markets start to firm as 2024-25 beet campaign ends

Global sugar prices have started to pick up since the start of 2025 due to increased demand and lower production forecasts across Asia, Brazil and Europe. Industry forecasts suggest the…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Lacklustre wheat markets leave margins tight for UK growers

UK feed wheat fell below £170/t ex-farm in mid-March, leaving little incentive for growers to sell and margins reasonably tight on farm. May 2025 feed wheat futures opened at £175/t…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Expanding market for UK sunflowers as growers chase £450/t

The UK currently imports roughly 60,000t of sunflower seeds each year, according to trade estimates, creating a significant opportunity for UK growers. Sunflowers have traditionally been a small crop in…

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Video

BUSINESS

Video: Basic features of futures markets and hedging

In the second part of the Commodity Risk Management online course, Professor Joost M.E. Pennings builds on the foundations laid in part one of the course. He goes into more…

BUSINESS

Video: Value of risk management and hedging

In this video, Professor Joost M.E. Pennings explains the role of hedging in lowering the cost of captial and increasing net cash flow. As an authority in the field of…

BUSINESS

UK barley exports keep up good pace

UK barley exports continue at a good pace, with 26,000t of UK feed barley heading to Algeria through Gleadell Agriculture’s Immingham export facility. The 900 or so lorryloads it will…

BUSINESS

VIDEO: Feed prices crippling pig industry

Stuart Bosworth, Farmers Weekly Pig Farmer of the Year 2011, talks about the rising costs of pig feed and how this is affecting the industry. With 60-70% of the cost…

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