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Cereal Quality Survey
The Cereal Quality Survey is an annual survey looking at the key parameters of wheat and barley quality for the most recent harvest.
Overview
The 2025 AHDB Cereal Quality Survey (CQS) results are now available. You can download the full tables from the link on this page.
For detailed analysis of the results and wheat quality diagrams, please expand the sections below.
Data covers the period up to 06 October.
The milling wheat samples in the 2025 survey had a notably higher-than-average protein content. Growers faced a challenging season, with a wet autumn followed by a dry spring and summer, making crop management particularly tricky. However, timely rain in May likely supported nitrogen uptake, which along with the high sunlight levels this year, boosted grain protein levels. Meanwhile, average Hagberg Falling Numbers (HFN) and specific weights generally meet or exceed the requirements for milling wheat samples. HFNs and moisture contents benefited from generally dry conditions for large parts of the wheat harvest period in England. While not covered by this survey, some localised anecdotal reports of higher ergot levels have been noted, but these are not as severe as last season.
- Protein content: The average protein levels for UK Flour Millers group 1 varieties in 2025 is 13.4%, which is 0.4 percentage points higher than the milling requirement of 13.0% or greater. This is a significant increase from the 2024 average of 12.5% and the highest level since 2017, when the level of proteins was the same. There is also a marked rise year-on-year for group 2 samples.
- Specific weight: The average 2025 specific weight for group 1 varieties is 77.8kg/hl, which is above the milling specification of 76.0kg/hl. This is the same level as in 2024, but lower than the five-year average of 78.0kg/hl. The dry spring and summer of 2025 will have had an impact on the specific weights.
- Hagberg falling numbers (HFN): The average for group 1 wheat varieties is 335 seconds, which is 8 seconds lower than last year, but 18 seconds above the five-year average. There is also a wider standard deviation this year at 53 seconds compared to 43 seconds in 2024, indicating a higher level of variability in HFN levels. This supports reports that some HFN levels did decline after heavy rain in early August.
- Moisture content: The average GB moisture content across all samples submitted is 14.3% in 2025, slightly up from last year’s level of 14.2%, but within specification (15.0%). However, there is regional variation with the Midlands averaging 14.3% but South West England at 14.0%, likely reflecting the dry start but wetter end to harvest 2025.
In 2025, 47% of group 1 milling wheat samples in this survey met the typical group 1 specification (specific weight of 76kg/hl, protein content of 13.0%, and HFN of 250 seconds or more). This figure has more than doubled since 2024 (20%) and represents the highest level since 2003.
Additionally, 85% of group 1 samples met the following adjusted criteria: specific weight of 74kg/hl, protein content of 12.0%, and HFN of 200 seconds or more. This is also an increase from 68% last year.
It has been a mixed year for barley quality across Great Britain, with better specific weights for winter barley but high screenings for spring barley, especially in Scotland. Nitrogen contents are also notably higher for both spring and winter barley.
- Nitrogen content: The survey results show that the average nitrogen content of all GB barley samples in 2025 is 1.62% likely due to the dry weather this summer. For winter barley, the GB nitrogen content averaged 1.78%, up notably from the 1.57% in 2024 and the highest since 2011, which could mean challenges in meeting some contract requirements. Spring barley samples had an average nitrogen content of 1.60%, also up from 2024’s level (1.44%) but slightly below 2023’s 1.62%.
The nitrogen content for Scotland (all samples) averaged 1.53%, up from last year’s 1.38% but still below the 1.59% seen in 2023.
- Specific weight: The average specific weight for all barley across GB is 63.7 kg/hl. This represents a small increase from last year (63.3 kg/hl). However, this hides a contrast. At 66.8 kg/hl, the average specific weight for winter barley samples is notably up from last year’s 63.8 kg/hl and is the highest since 2022. Meanwhile, the average specific weight for spring barley samples is 0.1 kg/hl lower than last year’s 63.2 kg/hl.
- Screenings: The survey also shows a clear spilt between winter and spring samples in terms of screenings. The average percentage of winter barley across GB retained by a 2.5mm sieve was 93.4%, a notable rise from 2024’s 86.2%. While changes to the methodology for validating samples need to be considered when making comparisons to data before 2022, it also looks to be the best result since 2020. Meanwhile, for spring barley samples, just 90% on average of barley was retained by a 2.5 mm sieve, down from last year’s 94.9% and likely the lowest level since 2012.
In Scotland, likely due to the impact of the dry conditions and the dominance of spring barley, the percentage retained fell from 95.3% last year to just 88.0%. While acknowledging the unavailability of data for 2022 and differences in validation methodology, this is still likely to be the lowest retention level in Scotland since 2003. The average also falls below the usual contract requirement of 90%, which points to further challenges for growers.
- Moisture content: The average moisture content across all barley samples in 2025 is 14.9%, reflecting the dry weather for much, though not all, of the harvest window across GB. It is a marked contrast to last year’s 16.6% when there was unusually wet weather during the spring barley harvest.
Notes
The 2025 wheat and barley sample sizes were 8,640 and 16,215 respectively, a notable rise from last year's survey. We are grateful to those in the industry who made this survey possible.
From November 2022, the methodology for validating samples has been updated. Please take this into consideration when comparing to historical figures.
Some samples may not contain results for all quality parameters; some screening values % through 2.25mm may include admixture.
Historical Cereal Quality Survey reports
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