Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK - Market Research Report (2014-2029)
London, United Kingdom
Last Updated: September 2024
SIC A01.110Revenue
£5.2bn
Past 5-Year Growth
Profit
£XXX.Xm
Employees
73,458
Businesses
43,260
Wages
£XXX.Xm
Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK industry analysis
Cereals, leguminous crops and oilseed are used mainly by the food and beverage industry, livestock feed producers and manufacturers of biofuel. Over the five years through 2024-25, growers’ revenue is expected to climb at a compound annual rate of 0.4% to reach £5.2 billion. This is thanks to steady demand from key markets despite volatile cereal prices and production volumes.
Trends and Insights
- Erratic weather shakes up the market. Volatile weather conditions have driven fluctuations in production volumes, making growers’ revenue more volatile.
- Weather complications shake UK crop growing. Agricultural crops such as wheat and oilseed rape have seen fluctuations in production due to adverse weather conditions and pest infestations.
- Fertile land draws growers to the East of England. Ideal growing conditions, flood protection and excellent trade links make the region a top choice for crop producers.
- Expertise and efficiency rule the market. Growers that cultivate additional produce from their lands, find ways to boost yields and achieve lower costs can gain a competitive advantage.
Industry Overview
Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)
Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 0.4 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated £5.2bn in 2024.
Trends and Insights
Changing weather conditions hit crop yields
- Cereal, legume and oilseed production heavily depends on weather conditions, showing strong year-on-year variation. In 2022-23, the UK benefitted from good climatic conditions and productive land expansions that allowed significant production volume increases in wheat, barley and especially oilseed rape, which grew by 39%, according to Defra.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2024-2029)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
Demand for biofuel will have a significant impact on the destination of wheat crops
- Bioethanol is produced from sugar beet or wheat crops. In 2019, approximately 10% of renewable fuel from UK-origin feedstock was generated from wheat.
Biggest companies in the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK
| Company | Market Share (%)
2025 | Revenue (£short_0)
2025 |
|---|
There are no companies that hold a large enough market share in the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK industry for IBISWorld to include in this product.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Wheat, Barley and Oilseed rape and linseed. Wheat is the largest segment of the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK.
Trends and Insights
Multipurpose wheat remains a vital crop for farmers
- Wheat is a staple cereal grain used widely in food production and as animal feed for livestock. The UK is the third largest wheat producer in Europe and wheat is the highest-value cereal grown in the UK.
- More insights available in the full report
Widen you competitive advantage with related industries
Competitors
- Vegetable Growing in the UK
- Fruit & Vegetable Retailers in the UK
Complementors
- Grain Milling in the UK
International industries
- Soybean Farming in the US
- Oilseed Farming in the US
- Wheat, Barley & Sorghum Farming in the US
- Soybean Farming in Canada
- Grain Growing in Australia
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
Farms in this industry grow a range of non-perennial crops in open fields, which are often combined within agricultural units. Cereals included are wheat, barley, rye, oats, millets, maize and sorghum. Leguminous crops are mainly pulses that are high in protein, such as chickpeas, lentils, beans and peas. Oilseeds include linseed, rapeseed, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds.
What's included in this industry?
WheatBarleyOilseed rape and linseedOats and other cerealsProtein crops and forage plantsCompanies
Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
BIOFUELORGANIC FARMINGNON-PERENNIAL CROPSHUSBANDRYPICKERVERTICAL FARMINGIndustry Code
SIC 01.11 - Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
Erratic weather shakes up the market. Volatile weather conditions have driven fluctuations in production volumes, making growers’ revenue more volatile.
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
- Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
- How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
Weather complications shake UK crop growing. Agricultural crops such as wheat and oilseed rape have seen fluctuations in production due to adverse weather conditions and pest...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
- International Trade
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2024
- Product innovation level
- Total imports, level and trend
- Total exports, level and trend
- Trade Balance
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2024
- Major market segmentation in 2024
- International trade, including imports by country and exports by country
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
- Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
Fertile land draws growers to the East of England. Ideal growing conditions, flood protection and excellent trade links make the region a top choice for crop producers.
In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2024
Detailed analysis
- Geographic spread of the industry across Europe, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
Expertise and efficiency rule the market. Growers that cultivate additional produce from their lands, find ways to boost yields and achieve lower costs can gain a competitive...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
Detailed analysis
- Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
- Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
- Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
- Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
- Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
- Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
- Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
- Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
- Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.
Companies
Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.
Analyst insights
Fragmentation and high competition define the UK's crop industry. The huge number of small, family-run farms prevents any single enterprise from gaining significant market sh...
In this chapter
- Market Share Concentration
- Companies
- Company Spotlights
Charts
- Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
- Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
Detailed analysis
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
EU pesticide rules target crops. Since late 2018, regulations have demanded safer pesticide usage, aiming to protect bee populations and ensure residues on crops don't exceed...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Charts
- Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
- Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
- Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
- Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Fertiliser prices squeeze growers' returns. The surge in fertiliser costs throughout 2022-23 and into 2023-24 picked away at the profitability of cereal, leguminous crop and ...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Liquidity Ratios (2018-2022)
- Coverage Ratios (2018-2022)
- Leverage Ratios (2018-2022)
- Operating Ratios (2018-2022)
- Assets (2018-2022)
- Liabilities (2018-2022)
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
- Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- Average Wage (2014-2029)
- Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
- IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
- Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
- Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2014-2029)
- IVA (2014-2029)
- Establishments (2014-2029)
- Enterprises (2014-2029)
- Employment (2014-2029)
- Exports (2014-2029)
- Imports (2014-2029)
- Wages (2014-2029)
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in the UK include:
- Office for National Statistics
- Office for Budget Responsibility
- Bank of England
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.
What is the market size of the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK industry in United Kingdom in 2024?
The market size of the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK industry in United Kingdom is £5.2bn in 2024.
How many businesses are there in the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK industry in 2024?
There are 43,260 businesses in the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK industry in United Kingdom, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.8 % between 2019 and 2024.
Has the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK industry in United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK industry in United Kingdom has been growing at a CAGR of 0.4 % between 2019 and 2024.
What is the forecast growth of the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK industry in United Kingdom over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK industry in United Kingdom is expected to grow.
What does the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK in United Kingdom include?
Wheat and Barley are part of the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK industry.
How competitive is the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK industry in United Kingdom?
The level of competition is high and steady in the Cereals, Leguminous Crops & Oilseed Growing in the UK industry in United Kingdom.
