WHEAT US corn takes a back seat as markets are affected by EU heat wave Global grain markets have recently been underpinned by the disastrous US corn planting and there will remain an air of uncertainty until crops are harvested in the autumn. However, this week wheat markets were supported by factors closer to home as temperatures soared across we...

WHEAT UK wheat trades lower Futures and physical prices lost around £5-£7 this week in the UK. For now, the rains have subsided and a warm, sunny weekend is forecast which is good news for developing wheat crops. Domestic consumers are fairly relaxed as crops with huge potential look set to yield well should the sunshine continue. The same is ...

WHEAT USDA highlights US corn crop woes In their June World Supply and Demand Report published this week the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) highlighted the impact of the delayed US corn planting as farmers continued their battle against ongoing heavy rain. Due to the adverse weather conditions, US farmers are predicted to plant 3 mi...

Much of the grass in Herefordshire, where I am based, suffered during the difficult weather conditions of 2018 and consequently producers should focus on optimising nutrition to restore both quality and yield potential to former levels, with K and S being essential in this process. This season NKS fertilisers containing potash and sulphur alongside...

WHEAT UK wheat markets under pressure Old crop and new crop wheat values made some losses this week. For old crop, consumer cover is relatively high and this week's latest Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) figures confirmed a sizeable 1.98 million tonne carryout which is 266,000 tonne higher than a year ago. The smaller h...

WHEAT US farmers struggle with adverse weather Continued adverse weather which has prevented US farmers from completing their corn crop planting this spring remains the primary world wheat price driver. The speculative funds had built a record short position on the United States Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) corn futures market which earlier this m...

WHEAT An abundance of old crop Old crop wheat continues to be offered to the market chasing a finite demand. It now seems that most millers and compounders have only the July transition gap to cover. The air of tightness around the UK balance sheet felt by the market some weeks ago has largely disappeared and now the emphasis is to off load supplie...

WHEAT What a difference 24 hours makes On Monday we returned to markets which were still digesting last week's bearish USDA report and under some significant pressure. Global prices were sat at contract lows and the hedge funds in America held huge short positions after bigger than expected global stocks were forecasted in the report. Spill-over pr...

It has been somewhat of a harrowing year for the OSR crop, with wide spread establishment issues followed by flea beetle larval damage leading to a number of crops unfortunately being ripped up.The remaining crops have gone on to endure some late frosts during flowering but, thanks to recent rainfall and warm weather, the good crops are now coming ...

WHEAT Weather and politics send markets lower Changing weather conditions brought rain to the UK and the near continent this week. This was seen as beneficial for wheat crops and triggered a fall in French and London wheat futures, pushing them down to fresh contract lows.In recent weeks, new crop wheat prices have traded in a narrow range, support...

WHEAT Offered market as sellers exit Old crop markets have slipped lower during the week as more abundant supplies of both feed wheat and quality wheat seek demand. Buyers have taken the majority of their old crop cover now, however, the transition month of July to new crop could still prove interesting. Confidence grows that the UK balance sheet w...

WHEAT UK demand dwindling Old crop futures and physical prices continued to feel the pressure this week as buyers proved hard to find. Consumer buyers remain absent from the market and their hand-to-mouth approach seems to be working, as May LIFFE futures lost another £3 since returning from the Easter break. We have now entered the first notice pe...

The rise in temperatures forecast this weekend beckons the prospect of one of the warmest Easters on record. While many people's thoughts will turn to firing up the barbecue or joining a queue of traffic heading for the nearest beach, arable farmers will earmark the time to get out and on with spring land work. Generally dry conditions have allowed...

WHEAT USDA publish a bearish report The USDA published their April World Supply and Demand report on Tuesday afternoon and, as expected, it held bearish data – particularly for corn. World corn production jumped six million tonnes, with increases seen for most of the major producers. Argentina, Brazil and Mexico were up, reflecting the favourable g...

WHEAT UK markets look to new crop A week is a long time in politics and it seems even longer in the grain trade with old crop markets fading again this week. Remaining markets are focused on sourcing final July cover; the last stop for consumers before significantly cheaper new crop supplies are available. Attention is now turning to new crop for c...

WHEAT UK wheat prices flatten Domestically, futures and delivered markets remain thin with a large portion of the old-crop market still to play out. Northern feed wheat premiums remain elevated to encourage the trade-flow of grains from further south but, in the main, consumers remain subdued with a 'hand-to-mouth' approach to buying. This said, lo...

WHEAT Spring is the season of risk Market support has held in wheat markets since the lows of the previous week. Speculators have large bearish positions laid on in grains for crops that are still very exposed to adverse planting and growing conditions as dormancy breaks. The strength of rebound in wheat futures has been largely led by corn as mark...

WHEAT Turbulent wheat markets The world's wheat markets started the week extending their recent downward trend. Speculative fund selling took the US CBOT wheat futures to contract lows on Monday, pulling European and UK wheat futures lower too. Their motivation comes from slow US wheat export pace and expectations for a bounce back in production fo...

WHEAT UK old crop sinks lower The absence of any significant consumer demand facilitated a further £5/t drop in futures and delivered prices this week. To some extent, this season the UK wheat grower has been sheltered slightly from rock-bottom global prices because of currency but UK markets followed the rest of the world lower this week. Due to t...

WHEAT Negative world markets World markets are currently showing little signs of recovery whilst major exporters compete to win upcoming tenders. Coupled with this, we're also seeing non commercial funds willing to sell wheat lower given the promising outlook of wheat production for 2019. UK finding some support UK markets found support this week f...