UK Pea Prices Ease While Ukrainian Origin Stays Under Pressure
UK pea prices soften slightly while discounted Ukrainian peas hold flat. Analysis of prices, supply, weather and short-term trading outlook.
Prices & Spreads
UK dried pea prices in London (FOB) have edged down over the past week, with both green and marrowfat segments losing around 2–3% versus early June levels. In euro terms, current green peas are roughly EUR 1,16/kg and marrowfat peas about EUR 1,51/kg, assuming a GBP/EUR rate near 1,16. This softening aligns with a broader easing in UK wholesale pea quotations seen since late April, when catering-grade peas were reported around GBP 8,87/kg, towards the lower end of the past-year range.
Ukrainian pea indications around Odesa remain largely unchanged week-on-week. Recent Black Sea market data show peas quoted at about USD 185/mt at Odesa port, implying roughly EUR 0,17–0,18/kg, significantly undercutting UK FOB values even after freight. This persistent discount reflects ongoing oversupply from the 2025/26 Ukrainian pea harvest and constrained export channels, rather than fresh bullish or bearish impulses in the last few days.
Supply, Demand & Trade Flows
Ukraine’s wider grain-and-legume export pace underscores ample regional availability. As of 12 June 2026, combined cereal and legume exports from Ukraine in the 2025/26 season reached about 34,9 Mt, down from 39,6 Mt a year earlier. Despite the year-on-year decline, flows out of Black Sea ports and via EU corridors remain substantial, so peas must compete with other crops for logistical capacity and export margin.
Earlier in the 2025/26 season, Ukrainian peas saw record production and weak export demand, which depressed CPT Odesa values. Those structural headwinds have not fundamentally changed in the last few days, and recent Ukrainian logistics reports still highlight strong reliance on maritime routes via Greater Odesa, although occasional security incidents near the port area keep a modest risk premium in freight and insurance. For UK buyers, this translates into steady availability of discounted Black Sea peas but with some shipment risk and lead-time uncertainty.
On the demand side, UK foodservice and retail pea usage is seasonally robust but not exceptional. Wholesale fresh and frozen pea prices for caterers were trending lower into late April, suggesting buyers are sensitive to cost and inclined to blend lower-priced origins where specifications permit. However, quality-sensitive channels (e.g. premium marrowfat for snacks) remain more tightly linked to UK origin, limiting direct substitution from Ukrainian bulk peas.
Weather & Crop Outlook (GB Focus)
Recent UK agronomy updates for early June describe generally favourable conditions for spring crops, with warmer spells followed by showers supporting establishment and vegetative growth in northern and eastern regions. For peas—typically flowering from early June onwards in much of the UK—such a mix of warmth and moisture is broadly positive, though persistent humidity could raise disease-management costs if prolonged.
Local observations from UK gardening and allotment communities in early to mid-June report active pea growth and first harvests under changeable but mostly mild conditions. Short-term forecasts for the next few days point to continued moderate temperatures with scattered showers in key arable belts, which should prevent stress on flowering peas and underpin expectations for at least an average 2026 UK pea crop. This comfortable forward supply picture is an important cap on any near-term price rally.
Fundamentals & Market Drivers
- Ample Black Sea supply: High Ukrainian legume and grain availability plus active Black Sea export routes keep a large pool of competitively priced peas on offer, restraining any upside in UK import-parity values.
- UK crop conditions: Seasonally warm, showery weather supports good yield prospects for combining peas, maintaining comfortable forward supply and softening nearby bids.
- Demand tone: Foodservice wholesale prices have eased from winter highs, indicating cautious buying and some resistance to elevated prices, particularly in standard green peas.
- Logistics & risk: While Ukrainian exports through Odesa have recovered strongly since 2024, recent security incidents in Black Sea shipping lanes add a modest but persistent risk premium that could periodically disrupt flows without significantly tightening global supply.
Trading Outlook (Next 1–2 Weeks)
- UK buyers (feed & food manufacturers): The current soft tone and benign UK weather argue for a patient, scale-down buying approach. Consider covering only immediate needs now and using any weather or logistics-driven rallies to extend coverage, especially for higher-spec UK origin.
- Importers / traders: The wide price spread between UK and Ukrainian origin still favours opportunistic Black Sea purchases, but logistics and political risk in the Black Sea justify conservative shipment scheduling and diversified origins.
- UK growers: With old-crop values easing and new-crop prospects solid, locking in additional forward sales may be premature. Monitor July–August weather; a pronounced dry spell or shipping disruption could offer a better pricing window.
3‑Day Regional Price Indication (Directional)
- UK (London FOB green peas): Bias slightly softer to sideways over the next three days, with good local crop prospects and limited spot buying.
- UK (London FOB marrowfat peas): Expected to trade sideways to marginally softer as snack and premium demand is steady but not accelerating.
- Ukraine (Odesa FCA/port peas): Likely to remain flat in the very short term, anchored by large supply and stable but unspectacular export interest.