German Feed Rye Prices Stable as Harvest Wraps Up

German feed rye prices in Lower Saxony are holding broadly steady around recent levels, with only minor day‑to‑day moves as the main harvest nears completion and weather turns cooler and slightly wetter. Rye trading in northern Germany remains calm, with harvest pressure largely absorbed and no fresh supply shock emerging in the last few days. Moderate temperatures around 18–20°C and scattered showers in northwest Germany are helping to stabilise crop quality, but are not strong enough to create major harvest delays or quality losses in rye at this stage. Logistical risks in the Black Sea region persist but are currently more relevant for wheat and maize flows than for the niche rye segment. Overall, the market tone in Germany is sideways to slightly soft, with buyers patient and sellers reluctant to cut offers further.

Prices

Feed rye EXW Drentwede (Lower Saxony, DE) is indicated around 0.196 EUR/kg as of 18 August 2026, unchanged from the previous day and fluctuating in a narrow 0.193–0.197 EUR/kg band over the past two weeks. This points to a broadly balanced local market with limited fresh demand impulses.

Supply & Demand

In Germany, the 2026 cereals harvest is reported as largely completed in key northern regions, with earlier summer heat trimming yields in some areas but not causing a major rye shortfall. Rye remains a relatively small crop in the EU, and recent Commission balance sheet data still point to comfortable overall availability, despite some local weather stress.

On the demand side, feed compounders continue to favour wheat and maize where available, limiting incremental demand for rye at current values. Ukrainian export capacity remains constrained by periodic attacks on Black Sea and Danube port infrastructure, but rye export volumes from the region are modest and have not yet translated into a discernible tightening in German inland markets.

Weather & Harvest Conditions (DE)

For Lower Saxony and neighbouring areas over 20–23 August, forecasts indicate mild temperatures around 18–20°C, with only a few days of light rain totalling roughly 20–25 mm in the broader region. These conditions are generally supportive for final field operations and transport, with no major quality risk for already harvested rye.

Given that most rye is already off the field, short‑term weather is now more relevant for logistics and succeeding crops than for yield. The forecast therefore argues for stable to slightly easier basis levels rather than any sudden weather‑driven spike.

Market Fundamentals

• EU rye balances still look comfortable for 2025/26, with cumulative marketed volumes in line with previous campaigns and no sign of structural shortage.
• Feed usage is capped by competition from other cereals; rye retains a discount to domestic feed wheat, supporting a floor but not triggering aggressive buying.
• Black Sea security risks keep a modest risk premium in wider grain markets, but rye’s small export role dilutes the direct impact on German inland prices.

Trading Outlook (Next 3–5 Days)

• For sellers (farmers, collectors): With EXW levels around 0.196 EUR/kg and muted spot buying, consider small scale sales on rallies but avoid heavy forward selling unless basis weakens; the current range still offers a modest premium to early‑August lows.
• For buyers (feed mills, traders): Maintain a patient buying strategy; nearby supply appears adequate and weather/logistics are supportive. Use any brief dips below 0.195 EUR/kg as an opportunity to secure short‑term cover.
• Risk watch: Sudden escalation of Black Sea disruptions or a broader grain market rally could lift rye prices, but such moves would likely lag wheat and maize.

3‑Day Regional Price Indication (DE)

• Drentwede EXW feed rye: Sideways to slightly softer bias; expected range 0.193–0.198 EUR/kg over the next three trading days, assuming stable external grain markets and no fresh logistics shock.
• Other northern German rye origins: Likely to mirror Lower Saxony with small basis differences, staying broadly flat in EUR terms through the weekend.