Arable

The final curve ball lies with South American weather – some more water is needed or there could be more oilseed fun and games in the New Year.

Global trends are likely to influence UK wheat prices this season as the UK looks to imports after a small harvest.

In the tough times ahead, I hope farmers will see there is more to gain from working together than from being king of your own sandcastle, says arable farmer and NFU Sugar Board member Tom Clarke.

Lots of things have gone wrong in the Brexit talks with the EU, but the nation needs farmers to pull through, no matter what comes next, says Oliver Dowding, apple juice producer and agricultural spokesman for the Green Party in the south west.

If the UK is ambitious about its future, the interests of farmers and consumers must be front and centre in any new trade policy, says Conservative peer Anne McIntosh.

Damage to crops brought by Storm Francis has added further misery to a difficult growing season but analysts have warned imports may place a cap on domestic price rises.

Many potatoes are in pretty good shape given the growing season they have had, but growers will be less impressed with the prices they are getting as Covid-19 continues to dominate the market.

Sugar beet growers are disappointed by the price on offer for the crop in the 2021 contract - £20.30/adj tonne for a one-year contract and £21.18/adj tonne for a three-year contract.

AHDB has committed to holding regular ballots on sector levies and how they are spent as part of its response to the Government’s review on its activities.