UK wheat and barley balances to tighten significantly in MY 2025/26

The AHDB has released its first 2025/26 UK cereals supply and demand estimates. Following record imports of wheat and maize last season, with good crop quality from last harvest, the AHDB expects imports to be pegged at 2.20 Mt, down 28% on the year. With a drop in bioethanol demand, a relatively well supplied feed pool and domestic grains pricing more favourable to imported product, less maize is expected to be imported this season. The AHDB expects total cereal usage in animal feed to remain relatively unchanged from last season, total cereals consumption by human and industrial (H&I) sectors is set to fall by 11% on the year to a 16-year low. The UK-US trade deal pressured the UK bioethanol sector. Following the Vivergo shutdown, Ensus is yet to get back up and running following its usual maintenance break. In the absence of government incentives for domestic bioethanol production, the AHDB assumes it will remain out of operation as part of its balance sheet calculations. It’s ...