The council's latest estimates of calculated end-stocks for the 2002 crop year at end of March in the UK are 1.648 million tonnes which represents a four cent increase on the previous year.

However the utilisation rate is some five per cent above the five year average.

The council estimates that this is due to high grading waste, especially last autumn and so purchasers have increased movement into the supply chain. This was particularly acutely felt up to the end of January, but has slowed down in February and March.

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