Feed barley discount to wheat in the UK narrows to £10/t

In the United Kingdom, the price gap between feed wheat and feed barley has narrowed significantly in recent months to about £10 per ton. Stronger global demand for barley has helped prices remain above £150/t despite broader pressure on grain markets.

Spot prices collected on Feb. 13 showed feed barley at about £151.1/t, compared with £161.3/t for feed wheat. A year earlier, the price difference between the two crops was around £20/t, and about £15/t two months ago.

According to Andrew Buck of Cefetra, barley in some parts of Europe is already trading at parity with or even at a premium to feed wheat. He noted that demand from China and other destinations has supported barley prices, while global wheat supplies remain relatively abundant. Barley is also widely used in specific feed rations and by certain end-users, keeping demand firm.

At the same time, the UK is expected to harvest a smaller barley crop this year. Estimates from AHDB suggest a 15% decline in total barley planting in 2026, along with a 1% reduction in winter barley area. The combined barley area is forecast at about 972,000 hectares, the lowest level since 2011.

Demand from brewers, maltsters, and distillers has also weakened. In the first half of the 2025/26 marketing year, barley usage in these sectors fell by 18.5% to about 721,400 tons. Analysts expect global market trends to continue driving both feed and malting barley prices in the coming months.

Tags: barley, prices, wheat