Monday Market briefing - 2nd August

Rain stopped play (again) this weekend with combines parked up in the grainstore awaiting a break in the weather. We have another low system approaching this weekend, after which high pressure is forecasted to build in across the UK.

For much of France, the wet weather has arrived at precisely the moment the milling wheat was ripe, and therefore a huge amount will be downgraded to feed due to Hagberg sprouting. As a large wheat exporter into Spain, France will be unable to fulfil normal demand requirements, opening up a greater volume of markets for export wheat – including UK milling wheat – assuming our Hagberg remains robust. This lack of quality French wheat has forced short covering on the MATIF milling wheat futures, pushing new crop values back to the highs seen in April this year.  UK grain values are carried higher on the back of this, with strong premiums for good quality milling wheat and malting barley.

At Bartholomews, we highly value the grain sampling process allowing us to prepare for however the weather affects our grain quality. We have a number of grain samplers across the South, so please contact your farm trader for our on-farm service.

Have a good week