EU 2023/24 soft wheat exports down 18% by Nov 26
PARIS, Nov 28 (Reuters) – Soft wheat exports from the European Union since the start of the 2023/24 season in July had reached 11.99 million metric tons by Nov. 26, down 18% from 14.68 million a year earlier, data published by the European Commission showed on Tuesday.
EU barley exports totalled 2.77 million tons, down 1% from the 2.81 million tons exported in the corresponding period in 2022/23, while EU maize imports were at 7.09 million tons, down 42% against a year-earlier 12.31 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. 10.
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 3.34 million tons shipped, followed by France with 2.52 million, Poland with 2.03 million, Germany with 1.15 million and Lithuania with 1.03 million. Bulgaria was next with 937,000 tons, a figure unchanged in recent weeks.
EU wheat exports this season have been curbed by strong Russian competition, including in Algeria.
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
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Morocco
1 834 534
15,3%
1 982 463
13,5%
Nigeria
1 237 637
10,3%
1 082 486
7,4%
Egypt
972 107
8,1%
1 589 785
10,8%
Algeria
967 258
8,1%
2 055 935
14,0%
South Africa
642 724
5,4%
476 385
3,2%
In maize imports, Spain remained by far the largest EU buyer so far in 2023/24 with 3.14 million tons.
The top five supplier countries for EU maize imports were listed as follows:
2023/24
2022/23
Origin
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Ukraine
3 568 566
50,4%
5 354 858
43,5%
Brazil
2 723 627
38,4%
6 139 594
49,9%
Canada
220 155
3,1%
162 800
1,3%
Serbia
128 963
1,8%
303 540
2,5%
South Africa
78 603
1,1%
78 520
0,6%
In wheat imports, EU soft wheat inflows were up 14% from a year earlier at 3.69 million tons. Drought-hit Spain was again the leading recipient with 2.13 million tons, while Ukraine was the main supplier with nearly two-thirds of the total.
Imports of durum wheat, the variety used in pasta, had reached 1.32 million tons, up 177% from the year-earlier volume, with Italy the main destination and Turkey the largest supplier.
Source Link: https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/eu-2023-24-soft-wheat-exports-down-18-by-nov-26