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OILSEED RAPE

Oilseed rape looks set to bounce back as crop area rises

Optimism is growing in the oilseed rape industry with this season’s crop area rising, buoyed by last summer’s high yields, firm rapeseed prices and reduced risk from one key damaging…

SUGAR BEET

UK sugar beet growers offered forward contract option

A forward index-linked sugar beet contract will be launched for the 2027-28 season. This will allow growers to sell a percentage of their contracted tonnage ahead of annual price negotiations.…

OILSEED RAPE

Destroy cover crops now to tackle flea beetle, farmers urged

Farmers growing cover crops are advised to destroy them in the coming days to help break the cabbage stem flea beetle cycle and minimise the size of the next generation…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Gut feeling is our best decision-making tool

One of the best decision-making methods in my experience, is gut feeling. Sometimes a decision doesn’t even look all that sensible, but it’s rare that following one’s inner being doesn’t…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Advice on sugar beet weed control for summer 2026

Good crop ground cover will be key to managing herbicide costs in sugar beet this year, after dry conditions affected weed control programmes in 2025. Sugar beet growers should have…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Cornish farmer puts variable-rate nitrogen tech to the test

Expenditure on nitrogen will be a key focus for arable farmers this season, with many looking to make marginal savings on application rates to make inputs go further. For those…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Fungicide-resistant late blight strain detected in UK

The presence of a concerning potato late blight genotype has been confirmed in the UK for the first time, following its discovery in volunteer potatoes in Suffolk last autumn. The…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: AHDB Recommended List not giving me what I need

With luck and a little bit of judgement we have managed to improve the grazing of the cover crops after not getting it right last year. We got the sheep…

POTATOES

Why Africa is first to benefit from potato seed technology

Kenya, at least to Western eyes, might seem an unlikely place to debut what could be industry-changing breeding technology that could eventually appear in European potato fields. But with a…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Advice on fungicide applications for profitable wheat

Extra focus on fungicide investment will be required this season, as budgets for a £170/t feed wheat price look certain. Despite suppressed grain markets, fungicides remain a significant investment in…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Beet moth threat: What farmers can do to mitigate risk

Beet moth has jumped up the risk agenda for sugar beet growers, as the 2025 sugar beet season marked a shift from isolated cases to economically damaging infestations in parts…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Grass more profitable than good field of wheat

January has come and gone in the blink of an eye, and as we move into February our thoughts naturally turn to the upcoming growing season. We don’t grow any…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Potato expert cultivates soil-led resilience in systems

When John Sarup was named Farmers Weekly's 2025 Arable Adviser of the Year, the award recognised more than 40 years at the sharp end of specialist potato agronomy. Four months…

Arable news

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Research on historic wheats disease resistance gets grant

Historic wheat collections could hold the secret to tackling the newly identified strain of yellow rust pathogen which overcame the Yr15 resistance gene in winter wheat last year. The breakdown…

ARABLE

Free national soil map to be opened to farmers in 2026

Farmers and land managers in England and Wales will gain free access to the UK’s most comprehensive soil data under a landmark agreement between Cranfield University and Defra. The partnership…

ARABLE

Sugar beet campaign set for earliest finish since 2016

The 2025-26 sugar beet lifting campaign is drawing to a close, with frost insurance triggered, yields sharply divided and growers facing mounting trade pressure from imported sugar. The campaign, which…

ARABLE

BASF and Adama commit to joint fungicide venture

BASF Agricultural Solutions has partnered with crop protection company Adama to co-develop new fungicide products for cereal growers. Adama, which has developed fungicide active ingredient Gilboa, will work alongside BASF…

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OILSEED RAPE

Oilseed rape looks set to bounce back as crop area rises

Optimism is growing in the oilseed rape industry with this season’s crop area rising, buoyed by last summer’s high yields, firm rapeseed prices and reduced risk from one key damaging…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Advice on sugar beet weed control for summer 2026

Good crop ground cover will be key to managing herbicide costs in sugar beet this year, after dry conditions affected weed control programmes in 2025. Sugar beet growers should have…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Cornish farmer puts variable-rate nitrogen tech to the test

Expenditure on nitrogen will be a key focus for arable farmers this season, with many looking to make marginal savings on application rates to make inputs go further. For those…

POTATOES

Why Africa is first to benefit from potato seed technology

Kenya, at least to Western eyes, might seem an unlikely place to debut what could be industry-changing breeding technology that could eventually appear in European potato fields. But with a…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Advice on fungicide applications for profitable wheat

Extra focus on fungicide investment will be required this season, as budgets for a £170/t feed wheat price look certain. Despite suppressed grain markets, fungicides remain a significant investment in…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Beet moth threat: What farmers can do to mitigate risk

Beet moth has jumped up the risk agenda for sugar beet growers, as the 2025 sugar beet season marked a shift from isolated cases to economically damaging infestations in parts…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Potato expert cultivates soil-led resilience in systems

When John Sarup was named Farmers Weekly's 2025 Arable Adviser of the Year, the award recognised more than 40 years at the sharp end of specialist potato agronomy. Four months…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How Lincs grower reclaimed world record oilseed rape yield

Lincolnshire grower Tim Lamyman has reclaimed the world record oilseed rape yield, with a staggering 7.71t/ha crop. The record-breaking yield came during one of the driest growing seasons, where Tim…

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

How new income streams are protecting Shrops farm business

Arable businesses are facing one of the worst profitability challenges in living memory due to a combination of soaring input and machinery costs, poor crop prices and an uncertain future…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Growers advised to tackle grassweeds on dry February days

With residual herbicides running out of steam, growers are advised to check wheat crops for any emerging weeds and consider applying a February contact herbicide spray where needed. Last autumn…

ARABLE

How 6 farmers are managing fertiliser use in tight season

With margins tighter than ever, how is the Arable Insights farmer panel approaching fertiliser use in wheat crops this spring? Farmers Weekly asks six farmers across the regions for an…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Wheat dwarf virus widespread in UK, finds survey

A survey led by independent agronomists suggests that wheat dwarf virus may be more widespread in the UK than previously thought. Transmitted by the leafhopper Psammotettix alienus, the virus has…

ROTATIONS

No-till, rotation and resilience drive Kenya’s farming shift

Think of Kenyan agriculture and it's likely tea, coffee and cut flowers spring to mind, perhaps with various vegetable crops, such as green beans, which are imported into UK supermarkets.…

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

Why spring linseed could be a strong option in 2026 rotations

With demand for UK-grown linseed continuing to remain high against a backdrop of depressed markets and uncertainty surrounding many other spring crops, spring linseed could be the solution for many…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Glyphosate – pros and cons of another GB licence renewal

After more than 40 years of continuous use in agriculture, the future of glyphosate is again in the spotlight following a succession of expirations, extensions and renewals since 2002. Last…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Advice on gaining a clear picture of soil nitrogen levels

With some uncertainty about how much residual nitrogen is in soils, growers are being urged to consider getting fields tested ahead of early fertiliser applications.  Hutchinsons fertiliser and crop nutrition specialist Rob Jewers says there are two…

Farmer Focus

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FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Gut feeling is our best decision-making tool

One of the best decision-making methods in my experience, is gut feeling. Sometimes a decision doesn’t even look all that sensible, but it’s rare that following one’s inner being doesn’t…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: AHDB Recommended List not giving me what I need

With luck and a little bit of judgement we have managed to improve the grazing of the cover crops after not getting it right last year. We got the sheep…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Grass more profitable than good field of wheat

January has come and gone in the blink of an eye, and as we move into February our thoughts naturally turn to the upcoming growing season. We don’t grow any…

FARMER FOCUS

Farmer Focus: Arable outlook as bleak as 10 years ago

After a nice dry spell over Christmas and New Year, we have had nonstop rain for the past couple of weeks. It's a chance to plan for the year ahead.…

Markets

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OILSEED RAPE

Oilseed rape looks set to bounce back as crop area rises

Optimism is growing in the oilseed rape industry with this season’s crop area rising, buoyed by last summer’s high yields, firm rapeseed prices and reduced risk from one key damaging…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Oilseeds prices rally to near £450/t

Oilseeds markets have rallied over the past month, both globally and in the domestic markets, underpinned by a stronger soybean complex and favourable currency movements. UK oilseed rape has lifted…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

NFU seeks sampling improvements in future grain contracts

The NFU has called for a major overhaul of combinable crop contracts, claiming the scales have been “tipped against growers for far too long”. It has submitted its official response…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

UK cereals demand hit by bioethanol losses and maltster cuts

Demand for UK cereals has plummeted as a result of the closure of the UK’s major bioethanol plants and decreased usage by brewers, maltsters and distillers. The UK cereals supply…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Larger UK wheat crop may drive exports and weigh on prices

The expectation of a larger domestic wheat crop this year could leave the UK having to compete more on global export markets, according to grain industry specialists. A panel discussion…

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

Farmers advised to respond to crops fairness review

With just over a fortnight left before the deadline, arable farmers are being urged to respond to Defra’s consultation on fairness in the UK combinable crops supply chain, amid concerns…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

'Challenging' year sees profits fall at Frontier Agriculture

Profit before tax at grain merchant Frontier Agriculture dropped to £9.4m for the financial year ending 26 June 2025, down from £40m the previous year. Revenue dipped from £1.76bn to…

CROPS MARKETS AND PRICES

Global wheat surplus keeps prices in check into new year

A large global wheat surplus continues to dominate market sentiment despite other geopolitical drivers, keeping wheat prices at persistently low levels. May 2026 UK feed wheat futures started the new…

Spot and forward prices (£/t ex-farm)
Each set of prices comes from a single merchant, co-op or broker, and are the latest prices being paid to farmers. Ranges of prices, within one category relate to the distance of the farm from the buyer. Oilseed rape prices are latest spot and forward prices, not contract prices. Ex farm prices vary with the distance from Hull, Liverpool and Erith, crushing factories.

Arable machinery

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CEREAL DRILLS

Versatile 3m He-Va G-Drill sows grass and grain

Farmers looking for a do-it-all drill might find what they’re looking for in the latest He-Va catalogue, which now includes the 3m G-Drill. It comes with two rows of versatile…

TELEHANDLERS

Lamma 2026: Kubota brings big SVL 75-3 skid-steer to the UK

National plans to increase solar capacity was a major motivator behind Kubota’s decision to bring its SVL 75-3 skid-steer handler to the UK. Its 1.7m width allows contractors to slink…

TELEHANDLERS

Lamma 2026: Compact JCB 526-60 gets swankier cab

JCB has lavished its compact Loadall telehandlers with some attention, fitting higher-spec cabs, improved brakes and twin-line trailer braking. The 526-60 is the smaller of the two models, benefiting from…

ROLLS

Lamma 2026: NRH adds Stocks seeder to RollX GSD

By fitting a Stocks seeder to its RollX roller, Yorkshire-based NRH Engineering has created a multi-purpose rejuvenation tool. Buyers can spec either 610mm diameter Cambridge rings or a smooth ballasted…

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