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UK wheat in best condition since 2023: Grain Market Update
Friday, 27 March 2026
Our latest crop development report estimates that by 23 March 2026, 82% of UK winter wheat crops were in good or excellent condition (Figure 1).
This is the best rating for late-March since 2023, when 90% were in good or excellent condition.
Despite the high winter rainfall, the score is only one percentage point lower than in late-November and notably improved from the 67% in late-March 2025.
After an exceptionally wet winter, conditions have improved of late and though a few isolated fields remain waterlogged, most soils have drained better than expected, benefitting crops.
Overall, pest and weed pressure are also low, with autumn herbicides having given good control.
One thing to note is that disease pressure in winter wheat is rising, particularly from septoria and yellow rust, though it remains low currently for other winter crops.
Our rust watch lists highlight varieties which should be monitored more closely and treated with rust-active fungicides, where disease pressure merits it.
Figure 1. Percentage of winter crops rated in good or excellent condition
Source: AHDB
Data collected by RSK ADAS Ltd & The Andersons Centre (2024 only)
Other winter crops looking strong too
Winter barley crops are also in the best condition for March since 2023, with 85% in a good or excellent condition and slightly up from November.
The score for winter oats is 88%, marginally up from November and exceeds the scores for March in the past four years (2022–2025) again showing strong potential.
Direct comparison is not available for winter oats prior to March 2022, as the scores for winter and spring crops were combined.
Meanwhile, with 84% rated as good or excellent, winter oilseed rape (WOSR) has likely the best condition rating since AHDB started these ratings. The first ratings made in this way were for the 2019 crop.
Variable spring drilling progress
Spring drilling is now underway after delays caused by persistently wet soils through the winter and into early March.
Progress has been steady on lighter land, while heavier fields still need more drying time. In Northern Ireland, only minimal drilling has occurred yet.
Across the UK, approximately 2% of the anticipated spring barley, mainly in the East and South East of England, had emerged by 23 March.
For spring wheat, approximately 6% of the anticipated crop had emerged.
Prospects
There's still a long way to go until harvest, but the good crop conditions so far show the potential for higher yields in 2026.
Higher yields would be very welcome after two very challenging harvests, although the economic situation is likely to remain challenging with farm costs facing further upward pressure.
To help give more insights into the cost impacts of the war in Iran for growers, AHDB today started to provide weekly fertiliser prices; find out more here.
However, the cropped area will also impact production. To offer more insights in the area to support your grain marketing decisions, we will again be running our Planting and Variety Survey. This survey will give the only pre-harvest estimates of the area. It opens on 7 April.
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