UK: Good choice of spring crop options for 2025

As ever, seed availability, forward prices and the condition of the land are likely to be the biggest factors in determining what is sown. In what may seem like a repeat of this year, spring barley is likely to be among the preferred crop choices although the area is likely to be down on 2024, according to Tom Eaton, grain trading manager at Viterra. “We anticipate a greater winter wheat crop area this autumn despite forward prices being rangebound with little to suggest an upward shift,” Mr Eaton says. A bigger winter wheat area is likely to come at the expense of a smaller winter barley crop and a contraction in the area available for spring sowing. “Spring barley premiums are likely to recover from current levels, but not to the extent seen in 2022/23. A vintage crop across the UK and Scandinavia in 2024 is still weighing on markets. “Laureate is expected to remain the dominant variety in part because of its dual-purpose versatility, but there is increasing interest in Skyway ...