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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

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,…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Oat outlook uncertain after tight supply from 2023 crop

The tight supply of oats from the 2023 harvest meant that most of last year’s crop has been bought for milling, rather than the usual more even split between milling…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Malting barley outlook: Higher feed price, lower premiums

The malting barley market is focused on concern for quality and yield, with late sown spring crops well up in most regions, but needing a good dose of sun. Merchant…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Weather to set the tone for grain market until harvest

The UK looks set to start the new grain year in July with a big carryover of old-crop wheat and a far lower than average level of new-crop sales. Growers’…

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News

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Mixed outlook for UK wheat in 2025 driven by global markets

UK wheat markets in 2025 will remain at the discretion of major global influences, with supplies out of the Black Sea and US geopolitics likely to dictate any immediate price…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Mixed fortunes for potato growers as higher costs hit sector

The UK potato sector bounced back slightly in 2024, following challenging weather conditions during the previous year. However, production costs have soared in recent years with higher energy, labour, machinery…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

UK wheat markets likely to return above £200/t in early 2025

A bullish outlook for wheat in the first half of 2025 could drive up grain markets, with some industry forecasts predicting UK prices may hit £210/t next spring. Tighter global…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Scottish arable farming faces pressure from cost-price squeeze

Scotland’s arable farming sector faces increasing financial pressure due to low crop prices, rising costs, and competition from imported wheat, putting growers' profitability at risk. NFU Scotland (NFUS) has raised…

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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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