Why reliable data matters more than ever in grain marketing
2-MINUTE READ
For UK arable farmers, the past five years have brought more than their fair share of uncertainty – weather extremes, geopolitical turmoil, changing trade conditions and volatile input costs. Through it all, one thing has become increasingly clear: having access to reliable, timely information is essential for making sound grain marketing decisions.
Take the recent movement in milling wheat premiums. In May 2024, the premium for bread wheat over feed wheat (based on AHDB’s UK ex-farm spot prices) stood at £60.60/t. By May 2025, that premium had shrunk to just £18.60/t – a fall of £42/t in a single year.
For growers of milling wheat, this kind of drop can have a significant impact on sales planning and revenue.
As Millie Askew at AHDB noted recently:
“Arable farmers have been living in somewhat unprecedented times for around five years now, with various challenges outside of all our control having significant impacts on production and markets. Now more than ever, accurate and timely information is vital to aid in making the best decisions for your business.”
Whether you’re selling grain this week or planning for next season, the quality of your data can make all the difference.
Target market opportunities
At Hectare Trading we make it easier than ever to stay informed, showing you the state of the local and national market in real time. You can see:
The latest price offers made on Hectare Trading for crops across the UK
Regional average spot prices based on recent price offers on Hectare Trading
Futures prices for key commodities across all available contract months
County-level estimates for ex-farm spot and forward prices for feed and milling wheat, feed barley and oilseed rape
This kind of visibility can help identify gaps between regional spot prices and futures – and sometimes reveal that local markets are outperforming global benchmarks, especially when futures are low.
For instance, in the Midlands, the regional basis (the difference between the local ex-farm spot price and the price of the nearest futures contract) for feed wheat has made a remarkable £12/t swing over the past year, from -£3/t in July 2024 to +£9/t by June 2025.
Spot prices for feed wheat in the Midlands are now up to £9/t higher than futures
With regional spot prices increasingly detached from futures prices, you might decide to clear the shed and sell some old crop for immediate movement. (For more on the outperformance of spot wheat over futures, see this Farmers Weekly feature using Hectare Trading data.)
Many farmers also use these insights to:
Judge whether a price offer they’ve received is reasonable
Explore regional price differences and test the market
Plan a structured selling strategy for the year ahead
In an environment where margins are tight and change is the norm, having the right information at the right time can give you a competitive edge.
Reliable data isn’t simply a matter of watching the market – it’s understanding where you stand within it. This is a cornerstone of smart grain marketing.
You don’t need to trade to access our free market insights. Contact our team today and we’ll help you get started with Hectare Trading.
This article is for general information only and is not an instruction to trade. While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the content at the time of publication, Hectare Trading makes no guarantee regarding the data provided.