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Jolyon Hobby

Wheat Analyst

Growing up on a Wiltshire farm sparked my passion for agriculture. With a BSc Hons in Agriculture and Land Management, I farmed for three years before diving into a 20-year career in the UK grain trade.

In the past eight years, my focus has shifted to the agri-food supply chain, where I focus on understanding the impact of commodity price volatility and transport logistics on the food chain. My expertise now lies in analysing global wheat markets and providing support to businesses across the entire spectrum – from farm to retailer.

Grains
  • November 19, 2024

3 Nations to Influence Wheat Price Direction in 2025

Insight Focus Extreme weather is impacting wheat production, while Rus...

Grains
  • November 4, 2024

Russia Continues to Undercut in Wheat Market

Insight Focus Despite a smaller crop, Russia continues to export at pa...

Grains
  • October 21, 2024

Black Sea Influence Complicates Wheat Market

Insight Focus  Black Sea developments have impacted the wheat market....

Grains
  • October 7, 2024

Low Global Wheat Stocks Finally Turn the Market Bullish

Insight Focus  Wheat prices in 2024 are increasingly volatile. Ge...

Grains
  • September 12, 2024

Global Wheat Markets Face Uncertainty Amid Varying Harvests

Insight Focus Wheat markets have been highly volatile in 2024. Prices ...

Grains
  • August 28, 2024

Profitability Amid Wheat Price Volatility

Insight Focus  Wheat markets continue their volatile ups and down...

Grains
  • August 13, 2024

Understanding Wheat Harvests Part 2: The Good, The Bad (and The Storekeeper)

Insight Focus  We continue to assess what makes a ‘good&rsq...

Grains
  • July 29, 2024

Understanding Wheat Harvests Part 1: The Good, The Bad (and The Unpredictable)

Insight Focus With the US winter wheat harvest last reported at 71% co...

Grains
  • July 12, 2024

Mixed Messages Keep the Wheat Market Volatile

Insight Focus US crops are looking good, while parts of Europe struggl...

Grains
  • June 27, 2024

Is the Wheat Market Fundamentally Changing?

Insight Focus Since the US wheat harvest began, the market has plummet...

Grains
  • June 13, 2024

Wheat Trading Strategies For Periods of Volatility

Insight Focus Turbulent markets can make decision making a tough proce...

Grains
  • May 31, 2024

Russian Frosts Feed the Wheat Bulls

Insight Focus The wheat markets have rallied significantly over recent...

Grains
  • May 17, 2024

Russia, USDA Estimates Keep Wheat Market Moving

Insight Focus The USDA published its first wheat supply and demand est...

Grains
  • May 3, 2024

Wheat Prices Explode but Outlook Remains Complicated

Insight Focus Wheat prices jumped as much as 10% in some markets last ...

Grains
  • April 19, 2024

India Poses Major Wheat Trade Flow Surprise

The US Department of Agriculture has flagged that India’s wheat stoc...

Grains
  • April 4, 2024

World Enters a Difficult Period for Wheat Trading Decisions

Insight Focus We are in a period of turmoil between the old crop and t...

Grains
  • March 20, 2024

China, Russia, Funds Create Wheat Market Uncertainties

Insight Focus China has cancelled about 1.5 million tonnes of wheat pu...

Grains
  • March 7, 2024

New Wheat Crop Could Turn Market Bullish

Insight Focus Wheat prices are near contract lows as supply is plentif...

Grains
  • February 22, 2024

What’s Next for Wheat Prices?

Insight Focus Wheat prices have been in freefall for some considerable...

Grains
  • February 9, 2024

How the Wheat Futures Market Functions

Insight Focus Simplifying the wheat market helps to understand it. Eac...

Grains
  • January 18, 2024

A Simple Guide for Understanding Wheat

Insight Focus Wheat is fascinatingly varied, feeding populations acros...

Grains
  • January 4, 2024

Wheat – Reflections On 2023 And The Outlook For 2024

Insight Focus 2023 a year of war, weather and changing trade flows wit...

Grains
  • December 7, 2023

Five Good Decision Making Principles for Wheat Sellers

Insight Focus Wheat sellers often struggle with market volatility. Mar...

Grains
  • November 30, 2023

How to Make Good Decisions When Buying Wheat

Insight Focus Crazy volatility in markets can be a headache for buyers...

Grains
  • November 16, 2023

China, India Could Create Wheat Demand Spike

Insight Focus China and India have altered trade flows as they focus o...

Grains
  • November 1, 2023

Despite Weather, War and Chinese Demand, Wheat Bear Market Persists

Insight Focus Too much rain in Northwest Europe is just as much of a p...

Grains
  • October 18, 2023

Wheat Stocks, Price Lows And Conflict Add To Complex Market

Insight Focus Hamas attack on Israel stirs further geopolitical concer...

Grains
  • October 4, 2023

USDA & El Niño Keep Wheat Market Watchers On Alert

Insight Focus USDA numbers cause a wheat price collapse. El Nino keeps...

Grains
  • September 20, 2023

Wheat Prices Face A Growing Problem In 2024

Insight Focus World ending stocks forecast at their lowest in years. W...

Grains
  • September 7, 2023

Wheat Prices Down While Stocks Are Low, Diplomats Negotiate

Insight Focus World stocks are at an eight-year low. Market prices are...

Grains
  • August 23, 2023

Northern Hemisphere Wheat Harvests Continue

Insight Focus Reductions in production in China and India remain a con...

Grains
  • August 9, 2023

Wheat – Continuing Volatility, Assessing the Road Ahead

Insight Focus Volatility continues as weather, war and politics play t...

Grains
  • July 27, 2023

Wheat – The Future of Black Sea Grain Exports, a Simple Solution

Insight Focus A collapse of the Black Sea Grain Corridor Agreement. No...

Grains
  • July 13, 2023

Wheat – Managing Price Risk, the Challenges for Success!

Insight Focus Global wheat price volatility remains scarily high. The ...

Grains
  • June 22, 2023

Wheat, Managing a Crazy World; WASDE, War & Weather

Insight Focus Managing the turmoil of a crazy market. USDA monthly WAS...

Grains
  • June 8, 2023

Wheat – Weather and War Prompting Potential Wild Scenarios

Insight Focus Weather is causing concerns in major growing areas world...

Grains
  • May 25, 2023

Wheat – Assessing the Future of the Black Sea Grain Corridor

Insight Focus Last week saw an extension of the agreement for 60 days....

Grains
  • May 10, 2023

Wheat’s Wild Week Ahead, Negotiations and Numbers

Insight Focus Black Sea grain corridor negotiation uncertainty. The US...

Grains
  • April 19, 2023

China Becomes World’s Largest Wheat Importer

Insight Focus China, a new global leader in wheat imports. The Black S...

Grains
  • April 6, 2023

Recent Concerns for Wheat and Global Food Security

Insight Focus International norms of the past no longer seem to apply....

Grains
  • March 22, 2023

Wheat’s Remarkable Adaption to a Changing World of Headlines

Insight Focus Uncertainty surrounding exports from the world’s bigge...

Grains
  • March 8, 2023

Wheat Market’s Potential for an Incredible Change Ahead

Insight Focus War in Ukraine still raging and the Black Sea grain corr...

Grains
  • February 22, 2023

Wheat – The Uncertainties for 2023

Insight Focus Despite a crazy 2022 now confined to history, 2023 is fu...

Grains
  • February 8, 2023

Czapp Explains: The Basics of Wheat Part 2

Insight Focus The fundamentals of the global wheat markets. Where they...

Grains
  • January 25, 2023

Czapp Explains: The Basics of Wheat Part 1

Wheat is classified as a grain, with origins dating back some 10,000 y...

Grains
  • January 10, 2023

Wheat: A Record-Breaking 2022 and an Exciting Year Ahead

Opinions Focus  Considering the consequences of the extraordinary...

Grains
  • December 14, 2022

Wheat Bulls or Bears for Christmas?

Opinions Focus The final days of the calendar year may see some intere...

Grains
  • November 30, 2022

The Wheat Market – Ultimate Stability

Opinions Focus An extraordinary year but wheat markets look more stabl...

Grains
  • November 16, 2022

Optimism For Wheat Buyers

Opinions Focus Weakening global wheat markets may suggest optimism for...

Grains
  • November 2, 2022

Reasons Putin Does Not Want To Stop Grain Corridors

Opinions Focus Sevastopol attacks are cited as Russia suspends partici...

Grains Sugar
  • October 19, 2022

Assessing Demand Erosion in the World’s Wheat Markets

Opinions Focus Wheat volumes from the major exporters are lower year o...

Grains Sugar
  • October 5, 2022

Rising Wheat Prices But Not Clear Cut

Insight Focus Putin’s annexations in Ukraine creates further uncerta...

Grains
  • September 21, 2022

WASDE Sees Lower World Wheat Demand Ahead

Opinions Focus The USDA forecasts lower wheat demand in 2022/23. This ...

Grains
  • September 7, 2022

Wheat – Global Supply Outlook

Opinions Focus A year of extremes in 2022, assessing the impacts on su...

Sugar
  • August 24, 2022

Sorting the Wheat from the Chaff in 2022

Opinions Focus Northern Hemisphere wheat harvests are in their latter ...

Grains
  • August 10, 2022

Wheat Market Uncertainty Prevails in Unique Year

Diminishing world stocks, war, heatwaves and global economic turmoil m...

Grains
  • July 27, 2022

Wheat Market Driven by Heatwaves, Agreements And Economics

Insight Focus European heatwave brings about staggeringly early harves...

Grains
  • July 13, 2022

How to Stay Calm in A Crazy Wheat Market

Insight Focus Wheat market volatility has been off the scale for month...

Grains
  • June 29, 2022

Falling Wheat Markets…Why and What Next?

Insight Focus Wheat markets have fallen sharply in recent weeks The la...

Grains
  • June 15, 2022

Wheat Stocks and the Hit to Russia’s Reputation as a Supplier

Insight Focus Russia’s war in Ukraine continues to disrupt world whe...

Grains
  • June 2, 2022

Could Russia, China Solve the Wheat Crisis?

Insight Focus Production concerns and the weather add to concerns over...

Grains
  • May 18, 2022

War, Weather and History – Putting The Wheat Market in Perspective

Insight Focus Russia’s invasion of Ukraine aided the surge in prices...

Grains
  • May 4, 2022

Wheat’s War-Driven Rally May Be Nearing the End

Insight Focus Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has pushed wheat prices t...

Grains
  • April 21, 2022

Ukraine Crisis Could Erode Wheat Demand

Insight Focus Black Sea ports remain closed for wheat exports as war c...

Grains
  • April 7, 2022

Russia’s Strategic Shift Boosts Prospects for Black Sea Wheat Exports

Insight Focus Russia’s move to the east of Ukraine could mean some w...

Grains
  • March 23, 2022

War in Ukraine Drives Wheat Market’s Mood

Insight Focus Wheat market volatility is tracking geopolitics. Supply ...

Grains
  • March 10, 2022

Making Sense of a War-Torn Wheat Market

Insight Focus Wheat production looks a mountainous task in Ukraine thi...

Grains
  • February 28, 2022

Russian Invasion Sends Wheat Prices into Overdrive

Insight Focus Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sent the wheat market...

Grains
  • February 16, 2022

What the Conflict Between Russia & Ukraine Means for Wheat

Insight Focus Russia and Ukraine are significant players in the world ...

Grains
  • January 13, 2022

Looking Beyond the Record-Breaking Wheat Market of 2021

2021 saw record high wheat prices in some regions. Equities, energies,...

Grains
  • December 29, 2021

The Future of the Wheat Industry

Extraordinary times lead to significant changes. Recent years have pro...

Grains
  • December 22, 2021

High Fertiliser Prices and the Wheat Industry

Fertiliser prices have been driven to incredibly high levels in 2021. ...

Grains
  • November 26, 2021

Why Are Wheat Prices So High?

Wheat prices across the globe are either at or approaching record high...

Grains
  • November 4, 2021

Wheat Highs, Exporters, Importers, and a Changing Market

Global wheat prices are higher than we’ve seen for around 10 years.&...

Grains
  • October 12, 2021

Wheat Production Alongside the Climate Drive

COP26 will commence on the 31st October and run until the 12th Novembe...

Grains
  • September 28, 2021

The Farmer’s Wheat Contract: Protection and Pitfalls

When selling wheat, it’s important to understand your obligations an...

Grains
  • September 13, 2021

Bulls or Bears: Does the WASDE Say Which Will Drive Wheat Prices?

The wheat markets eased off recently since the Northern Hemisphere har...

Grains
  • August 16, 2021

Price Spread Movement Between Different Types of Wheat

Different types of wheat often have unrelated end uses. Prices can the...

Grains
  • July 26, 2021

Wheat: COVID, Climate, Corn and China

Harvests are underway in the Northern Hemisphere. Global prices are re...

Ethanol Grains
  • June 15, 2021

Wheat and Corn Prices; Is There a Common Ground?

Understanding the basics of corn and wheat can give insight into indiv...

Grains
  • May 31, 2021

Wheat Prices vs. Other Commodities

Wheat prices, like other commodities, are driven by the basics of supp...

Grains
  • February 11, 2021

Wheat: How Crop Rotation Drives Price Spreads

Crop rotation is where farmers change what they plant each season to e...

Grains
  • February 1, 2021

How the Wheat Market Really Works

At first glance, the global wheat futures markets can be quite confusi...

Grains
  • January 20, 2021

Wheat at Seven-Year High with Russian Export Tax

China’s wheat demand remains high as it attempts to rebuild its ...

Grains
  • January 14, 2021

Hard or Soft: How Well Do You Know Your Wheat?

Here, we look back through what we’ve learnt about wheat so far. We ...

Grains
  • January 6, 2021

Lessons We Can Learn from the 2020 Wheat Market

2020 was a year like no other for wheat, with huge harvest variations ...

Grains
  • December 15, 2020

How This Season’s Wheat Harvests Could Shake Global Trade

December is a good time to look at the world’s wheat harvests and fi...

Grains
  • December 7, 2020

Wheat Farming: Finding the Right Destination at the Best Price

Last week, we discussed the basic beginnings of a wheat crops’ journ...

Grains
  • November 30, 2020

Wheat Production: Crucial Points to Consider

We know that farmers produce wheat, and to really understand how the w...

Grains
  • November 24, 2020

2020: Coronavirus and the Future of Global Wheat Trade

Note: All the data behind this Opinion’s charts comes from the USDAâ...

Grains
  • November 16, 2020

Global Wheats Stock Hit Record High but Prices Continue to Rise

The 2020 wheat crops have suffered from both drought and flooding. How...

Grains
  • August 5, 2020

Wheat: Chinese Buying Picks Up, Crop Woes for Argentina

China bought 320k tonnes of US wheat in July, despite the ongoing tens...

Grains
  • July 22, 2020

The World’s Largest Wheat Users and Importers

In order to understand the major trade flows and how it all fits toget...

Grains
  • July 20, 2020

The World’s Largest Wheat Producers and Exporters

As we know, markets are shaped by supply and demand. In order to under...

Grains
  • July 16, 2020

WASDE: Australia Looking at Record Wheat Crop

Last week’s USDA WASDE release showed how a changing picture impacts...

Grains
  • July 8, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: Getting a Better Picture of the 2020 Supply

The US’ harvest is over half-way done, and it’s picking up in Euro...

Grains
  • June 26, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: The Lull Before the Storm

The world’s wheat markets have been more stable again this week. The...

  • June 19, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: Prices Continue Down, Are Buyers Now More Interested?

618 words / 3 minute reading time Prices have been under pressure with...

Grains
  • June 12, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: Slow Trade and Production Discrepancies

753 words / 3.5 minute reading time Short term wheat stocks are limite...

Grains
  • June 5, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: Tight Stocks and Unpredictable Weather

597 words / 3 minute reading time Old crop wheat stocks are getting ti...

  • May 29, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: A World of Coronavirus and Weather Uncertainty

622 words / 3 minute reading time Will the coronavirus cause demand er...

Grains
  • May 22, 2020

Coronavirus and the Wheat Market

1,900 words / 9 minute reading time The coronavirus has now impacted a...

Grains
  • May 15, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: Coronavirus Demand Destruction

691 words / 3.5 minute reading time The USDA’s WASDE Release was a g...

Grains
  • April 30, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: An Unexpected Reversal

665 words / 3 minute reading time There is no party without the big bu...

Grains
  • April 24, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: Trading Turmoil

559 words / 3 minute reading time  Short term trade uncertainty w...

Grains
  • April 17, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: Restrictions, the Unknown and the WASDE

680 words / 3 minute reading time Some Useful Acronyms: USDA (United S...

Grains
  • April 9, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: Make or Break?

640 words / 3 minute reading time How is the wheat market faring in th...

Grains
  • April 3, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: Food Security…The 2020 Question?

659 words / 3 minute reading time Panic-buying consumers in the superm...

Grains
  • March 27, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: The Wheat Market Turns on its Head

596 words / 3 minute reading time The wheat market has rallied sharply...

Grains
  • March 19, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: The Wheat Markets Cope With Chaos

649 words / 3 minute reading time China has reported no new domestic c...

Grains
  • March 5, 2020

Weekly Wheat Wonders: Vaccines, Weather and Taxes

659 words / 3 minute reading time Lab tests in China suggest they have...

Grains
  • February 28, 2020

Optimism or Pessimism for the 2020 Wheat Market?

547 words / 3.5 minute reading time Russia and India are expecting rec...

Grains
  • February 20, 2020

(NEW) Weekly Wheat Wonders: Drought, Floods, Armyworm and Locusts!

547 words / 3.5 minute reading time The coronavirus continues to push ...

Grains
  • February 5, 2020

The Coronavirus Hits the Wheat Market Hard

1,176 words / 7 minute reading time The wheat market rose during the f...

Grains
  • January 10, 2020

Lowest US Winter Wheat Plantings in Over 100 Years?

652 words / 3.5 minute reading time The USDA is publishing its first m...

Grains
  • January 9, 2020

Global Wheat Markets Finish 2019 On a High

1,074 words / 7 minute reading time The world wheat futures markets ha...

Grains
  • December 19, 2019

What We Learn About Wheat From The WASDE

857 words / 5.5 minute reading time The US Department of Agriculture (...

Grains
  • December 10, 2019

What Surprises Are Stirring the Global Wheat Markets?

652 words / 4 minute reading time This last week has seen the world wh...

Grains
  • December 9, 2019

The Wacky World of Kansas Wheat

Kansas Hard Red Winter Wheat is having a wacky year. Price behaviour h...

Grains
  • December 2, 2019

NEW: An Introduction to Wheat – Meet the Kernel

1,056 words / 6.5 minute reading time The Basics Grains are a concentr...

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