UK markets opened after the holiday weekend with an alarming £5 dip to set a new low, then spent the rest of the shortened week recovering to finish just above unchanged. There is a feeling that enough is enough for the time being, the likely size of the US corn crop is largely priced in and better US economic statistics add to the slightly improved mood. There’s probably not enough encouragement there to swing us back upwards again but expect prices to at least stabilise this week.

Harvest is all but finished in the south-east, the south-west still has a little way to go but quality so far is holding up well. Later drilled malting barleys are showing the slightly higher nitrogens that we hoped for, and will need, to balance out the very low N earlier ones. We have a very clean malting crop this year and samples are flying off to Europe where we except they will look starkly better than the French equivalent. Pre- Christmas movement is expected to be difficult but we do have this available so do call your farm buyer if this is a priority for you.

The busiest programme at home, in September will be milling wheat again, premiums remain excellent and lower protein homes especially are likely to fill up very quicky as the month progresses.

Have a good week.