EU 2023/24 soft wheat exports down 18% by Dec 3
Soft wheat exports from the European Union since the start of the 2023/24 season in July had reached 12.52 million metric tons by Dec. 3, down 18% compared with 15.26 million a year earlier, data published by the European Commission showed on Tuesday.
EU barley exports totalled 2.79 million tons, down 1% from 2.81 million tons in the corresponding period in 2022/23, while EU maize imports were at 7.36 million tons, 43% below a year-earlier 12.88 million.
However, the Commission said grain export data for Bulgaria was still lacking since mid-September, while import and export data for Italy was missing since Nov. 17.
Bulgaria is usually among the EU’s largest wheat exporters, while Italy is one of the bloc’s biggest cereal importers.
The Commission’s current figures showed Romania was the biggest EU soft wheat exporter so far in 2023/24, with 3.46 million tons shipped, followed by France with 2.52 million, Poland with 2.12 million, Germany at 1.19 million and Lithuania at 1.14 million. The incomplete total for Bulgaria was given as 937,000 tons.
EU wheat exports this season have been curbed by strong Russian competition, including in Algeria, though upcoming French shipments to China may boost volumes.
The Commission listed the top five destinations for EU soft wheat exports so far this season, compared with a year ago, as follows:
2023/24 2022/23
Destination tons share tons share
Morocco 1,884,034 15.0% 2,017,663 13.2%
Nigeria 1,321,925 10.6% 1,103,386 7.2%
Egypt 1,035,107 8.3% 1,589,785 10.4%
Algeria 967,258 7.7% 2,087,085 13.7%
South Africa 697,454 5.6% 476,385 3.1%
For maize imports, Spain remained by far the largest EU buyer so far in 2023/24 with 3.31 million tons.
The top five supplier countries for EU maize imports were listed as follows:
2023/24 2022/23
Origin tons share tons share
Ukraine 3,794,167 51.5% 5,632,256 43.7%
Brazil 2,729,634 37.1% 6,346,591 49.3%
Canada 220,155 3.0% 223,781 1.7%
Serbia 143,527 1.9% 312,558 2.4%
South Africa 80,695 1.1% 87,453 0.7%
EU soft wheat imports were up 12% from a year earlier at 3.88 million tons. Drought-hit Spain was again the leading recipient with 2.22 million tons, while Ukraine was the main supplier with nearly two-thirds of the total.
Imports of durum wheat, the variety used in pasta, reached 1.37 million tons, up 169% from the year-earlier volume, with Italy the main destination and Turkey the largest supplier.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Gus Trompiz, editing by Sybille de La Hamaide and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
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