Number Two's

29/03/11 -- I've only just consigned the buggers to the loft along with the Christmas decorations and now I've got to climb up there with the spiders and drag the wretched things out again.

May London wheat currently trades GBP1.00/tonne higher at GBP201.50/tonne, with July up GBP2.50/tonne to GBP203.00/tonne. New crop Nov is unchanged at GBP163.00/tonne.

Back from the morning constitutional with Nogger's Dog in very light rain and 3C, quite different to last week. Heavier rain in the forecast tonight/tomorrow.

The Farmers' Weekly I see are reporting that March looks set to be one of the driest on record, with England and Wales getting just a fifth of their normal rainfall. See this: March to be among driest on record.

It's far from a disaster yet though.

On the continent French crops seem to have emerged from winter in pretty good shape, although there are winterkill concerns in Germany and Poland.

Tight old crop stocks and strong demand keeps widening the gap between Paris old and new crop, with the May/Nov spread currently standing at EUR37.00/tonne mid-morning, a fortnight ago it was EUR17.00/tonne.