Grain prices drop back in UK as Brexit uncertainty adds to market unease
Grain prices in the UK have eased over the last week, as the heatwave which hit Central and Western Europe receded.
Alex Black
An expected increase in UK production this harvest and the lack of competitiveness of UK supplies against other feed origins and new crop maize imports was keeping the pressure on new crop prices, according to David Woodland at ADM.
The AHDB 2019 planting survey results showed the GB wheat area was up 4 per cent this year (see page 23) at 1.802 million hectares.
“As for old crop, growers are taking stock of remaining on-farm supplies and some tonnage is becoming available,” Mr Woodland said.
“However, in certain parts of the country where demand remains sluggish, even these limited amounts are enough to push levels close to new crop values.”
Ramifications
Mr Woodland also pointed out questions remained over Brexit creating unease in the city and on the currency markets.
He said while a weaker pound would support farmgate prices, a no-deal Brexit would have greater ramifications, as the UK would have to start trading on World Trade Organisation terms.
Benjamin Bodart, CRM Agri- Commodities, said global markets have received what was probably ‘one of the biggest statistical surprises for grain markets in recent history’, as the USDA released its acreage report.
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The US corn planted area was pegged at 37.1m ha, or nearly 6 per cent above the trade estimates.
But Mr Bodart said there was scepticism about the ‘highly optimistic’ figure, with nearly 17 per cent of the area still intended to be planted in the survey, which took place in the first two weeks of June.
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