On-farm wheat stocks for England and Wales as at 30 June were down compared to June 2007 and the last four seasons’ average while barley stocks were higher but below the four-year average.

Defra released results of their end-June on-Farm cereals stocks survey for England and Wales on 21 August. From 2007 onwards, data only include cereals stocks grown on the farm and stored on the farm on the day of the survey unlike previous years when all cereal stocks grown on the farm were included regardless of where they were stored.

The results show that wheat stocks held on farm as at 30 June were 0.46Mt, down 73,000t (14%) on the same time last season. Barley stocks as at end -June totalled 73,000t. This total represents an increase of 12,000t (20%) on last season’s stocks which were placed at 61,000t. When compared to the last four season average, wheat stocks were 0.17Mt lower, while barley stocks were only moderately lower by 2,000t. The significant reduction in the wheat stocks is in line with the market conditions observed in ‘07/08, when climatic conditions generally reduced the amount of grain harvested and high wheat prices encouraged farmers to sell what they had in stock.

As at 30 June, the amount of wheat left on farm equalled 4% of UK’s production ’07 estimate of 13.24Mt while that of barley was 1.4% of 5.1Mt. Wheat stocks on farm were 25% of commercial end-stocks, which is a little less than the 29% at same time last season. For barley, stocks were 9% of closing stocks, compared to 8% last season.

The survey results also included the stocks of bought in grain for on-farm use, with both wheat and barley placed at 7,000t. Wheat stocks in this case were up by 2,000t (40%) while barley stocks were down by 22% compared to the same time last season. This implies that more wheat was bought into farms last season which is not unusual given the happenings of the season.