Wheat prices fall in Poland as farmers hold back grain sales

Grain prices at purchasing points in Poland mostly fell over the week at the end of October 2026. In some places wheat became cheaper by as much as 40 zloty per tonne, according to data for 28 October compiled by the agricultural portal Farmer.pl. Increases were recorded at only a few points. Farmers are again holding back grain sales, so supply is thin.

Wheat: a minimal gap between food and feed grain

The price gap between milling wheat and feed wheat is unusually small, in places around 10 zloty per tonne, whereas in some earlier months it reached 120 zloty. Company representatives explain that prices of quality wheat are set in ports, where they are high, while feed wheat prices are pushed up by feed mills that lack raw material. Transport is also a problem: there are very few free trucks for hauling grain, and shipping is expensive.

Corn and the gas price

Trade is currently focused on corn, mostly wet grain with moisture of 30% or more. The price has dipped by about 10 zloty per tonne: wet corn ranges from 600 to 670 zloty per tonne net, dry corn from 930 to 950 zloty. Drying costs depend on natural gas, which on 28 October cost more than 100 euros per megawatt-hour. For comparison, the European gas exchange price hit a record of roughly 342–345 euros per MWh in 2022. Analysts at Bank Pekao point to a noticeable energy price shock and expect European growth to slow next year.

Exchanges and the Russian market

On the European exchange MATIF corn is up 50.3% since the start of the year, versus 3.5% on the US CBOT, says Mateusz Pałejko of Agri Commodity Experts. Reuters reported that Russian authorities have allowed export grain to be shipped across the Sea of Azov, where transport had been suspended since 10 July for security reasons. Russia plans to begin state intervention grain purchases on 29 October to support domestic prices.