1000 LORRY LOADS OF UK WHEAT HEAD FOR SPAIN

The biggest cargo ship to dock at Immingham this season has just left port with 27,000 tonnes of wheat supplied by growers for Gleadell Agriculture. The MV Capetan Michaelis is destined for the biscuit and feed wheat markets of Spain. The shipment consisted of 1,000 lorry loads of deliveries from 120 farmers and merchant suppliers from Lincolnshire, the East Midlands, and Yorkshire.

With supplies of wheat worldwide remaining tight, and the UK’s own exportable surplus down on 2005, David Sheppard, Gleadell’s managing director, says prices for wheat are averaging £30 p/tonne higher than in 2005. “The EU’s own crop size has fallen significantly, so we are in a very tight supply and demand situation,”

“Despite this, Gleadell still see the UK wheat surplus at between 1.5 and 2 million tones, and we are actively seeking new markets for UK cereals and continuing to develop existing relationships with long established consumers.”

Spain has traditionally been a strong market for UK wheat exporters in recent decades, with Gleadell developing good supplier relationships with millers who, according to Mr Sheppard, “are looking for good quality uks wheat as the ideal soft wheat for biscuit and cake making, with high hagbergs and a bold grain.”

He said that shipments were set to continue through the winter period, despite the variable quality of this year’s harvest. “Wheat combined in late July and early August was of good quality, with low moisture content and high bushel weights. But heavy rain in the second half of the harvest period meant sample results for the rest were extremely mixed.” Much of this later crop has therefore gone into feed markets, he added.