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EU 2023-24 grain output revised lower

Extreme weather conditions across the European Union (EU) has reduced grain production projections for marketing year 2023-24, although output is still anticipated to exceed 2022-23 levels, according to a report from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture. Production for the 27 Member States of the EU has been revised 1.1 million tonnes lower from the FAS’ previous forecast at 269 million tonnes. However, that still would be an increase over the estimated crop of 267.6…

Ukraine grain exports down sharply from last year

Ukraine’s grain exports are continuing to fall significantly behind the pace a year ago, with 13.4 million tonnes exported so far, compared to 18.3 million tonnes last year, according to data from the agriculture ministry. The exports include 5.9 million tonnes of wheat, 6.5 million tonnes of corn and 876,000 tonnes of barley. By this time last year, Ukraine had exported 6.9 million tonnes of wheat, 9.8 million tonnes of corn and 1.48 million tonnes of barley.

Russia forecasting record grain exports

With nearly 98% of its harvest collected, Russia is forecasting over 65 million tonnes of grain exports during the 2023-24 marketing season, Reuters reported, citing Russian news agency Interfax. Russian Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev said on Nov. 28 that more than 151 million tonnes of grain in bunker weight had been threshed, including almost 99 million tonnes of wheat, according to Interfax.

China’s grain feed use on upswing

China’s grain feed and residual use in marketing year 2023-24 is projected to rise slightly to 285 million tonnes, up 2.7% from 282.3 million tonnes in 2022-23, according to a Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture. FAS Post Beijing anticipates corn production in 2023-24 to edge higher to 280 million tonnes due to a larger planted area at 40.927 million hectares (up 1.9%) and improved yields. Feed and…

Ukraine ‘humanitarian corridor’ exports near 4 million tonnes

Ukraine has exported nearly 4 million tonnes via its “humanitarian corridor” since shipments started in August, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Nov. 14, Reuters reported.

USDA lowers corn, wheat area forecast

WASHINGTON, DC, US — The US Department of Agriculture on Nov. 7 projected area planted to soybeans to expand in 2024, but wheat and corn planting areas were forecast to decline. The forecasts were contained in early-release tables from the USDA Agricultural Projections to 2033 report, which will be issued in February 2024. The USDA forecast area planted to all wheat for harvest in 2024 at 48 million acres, down 1.2 million acres from 49.6 million acres in 2023. The…

FAO forecasts record cereal output

Global cereal production this year is forecast to reach a record 2.81 billion tonnes, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ latest Cereal Supply and Demand Brief released on Nov. 3. Of note was higher projected coarse grain production in China and most of West Africa and lower forecasts for the United States and the European Union. Wheat output forecasts were raised for Iraq and the United States and revised downward for the European Union and…

Rabobank: US could still see top corn crop

While the US will not set yield records in corn this season, far better results than initially anticipated could still make it a top-two or top-three crop, according to Rabobank’s North American Agribusiness Review. In October, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) lowered yield estimates against the backdrop of media reports indicating that crops coming off the field were better than expected. Rabobank said much about the 2022-23 crop year has been atypical.

Ocean freight rates for US grain dropped in the third quarter.

Ocean freight rates for shipping grain from the US Gulf and Pacific Northwest dropped in the third quarter compared to the previous quarter and from a year ago, according to the Oct. 26 Grain Transportation Report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Compared to the prior four-year average, rate for routes from the Gulf and Pacific Northwest to Japan decreased while rate for routes from the US Gulf to Europe increased.

Russia signs grain export deal with China.

A Russian export company has signed a deal to export 70 million tonnes of grain, legumes and oilseeds to China, Reuters reported on Oct. 18. The company, EPT, said the contract was for 12 years with a possible extension, according to Reuters.