Lucrative contracts from several UK merchants have encouraged a number of arable farmers to grow grain maize in the UK, with returns reportedly surpassing several traditional crops.

The UK is a net importer of grain maize and typically imports about 2m tonnes annually. However, this figure does vary considerably year-on-year.

Yields of between 9-10t/ha have been achieved on farms, according to Peter Collier, area manager at United Oilseeds, with grain maize outperforming a lot of other cereal and break crop options.

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Mr Collier said: “As a spring crop option, grain maize values have stood out as a good gross margin option, especially when stacked with some Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) options.

“Value-wise, and with the UK in deficit and needing to import maize, values have in general traded at a premium to feed wheat, tending to offer comparatively better value for end users such as ethanol producers or livestock feed.

“With on-farm values around £200/t currently achievable, grain maize has again been outperforming feed wheat values, offering a better return again this season.”

Trials by Corteva in recent years suggested that a margin of about £620/ha can be achieved for dried grain maize, based on historic yields and output prices.

However, this figure may vary and has the potential to be significantly higher depending on contract bonuses and demand levels.

A downfall for growers considering grain maize is the high drying costs to get it to the right moisture content, with some farmers saying this can add more than £20/t to the overall cost.

Suffolk-based farming co-operative Fram Farmers has been working with growers to find a home for grain maize within the domestic market, predominantly for use in animal feed.

Jono Woollatt, grain procurement manager at Fram Farmers, said it started as a project initially following some interest from growers, and there had since been interest from the grain trade to replace imports.

Mr Woollatt said in East Anglia it was being used in feed rations on pig and poultry farms, and there had also been talk of pet food as a potential market.

Sarah Hawthorne, marketing and sales manager at plant breeders DSV, said the UK is far from self-sufficient for grain maize and there are an increasing number of buyers offering forward contracts.

The inclusion of maize in arable rotations can also lead to SFI payments.

Ms Hawthorne added: “If you undersow maize crops, for example, you will be paid £55/ha under the latest SFI and if you choose to grow an over winter multispecies cover crop to protect soils from nutrient loss, you will receive an additional £129/ha.”

Maize products are being increasingly used for livestock feed.

Maize gluten feed usage in GB animal feed rations almost doubled during the first five months of the 2024-25 season (July to November), to total 32,500t.

Meanwhile, whole and flaked maize use jumped up by 28% year-on-year, from 29,000t to 39,600t during the same period.