Private sellers see major boost from Russian grain exports: RusAgroTrans

Dubai-based trader GTCS has exported more grain from Russia than any other company in the 2017/18 marketing year, increasing its sales year-on-year by more than 43% as it has taken advantage of this year’s record-breaking crop.

According to a report Tuesday from RusAgroTrans, TD Rif – GTCS’ local agent – has been the biggest shipper between July-December as it exported 4.02 million mt of grain.

Switzerland-based Glencore was the next biggest, exporting 2.57 million mt – 45% higher year-on-year, while Aston was third, recording a 21% increase to 1.68 million mt.

Only a handful of major suppliers recorded a fall, with US major Cargill dropping 8% to 1.44 million and Cofco down 15% at 349,000 mt.

Russian grain sales have seen an increase in volumes to almost all destinations around the world over the course of the marketing year, with sellers looking to offload its biggest crop on record on the international market.

Sales to Turkey have seen the biggest absolute gain, up 1.66 million mt from last year to 3.74 million mt, as geopolitical tensions between the two countries have eased and improved trade relations have followed in its wake.

Sales to Turkey over the period include 2.64 million mt of wheat, 869,586 mt of corn, and 189,944 mt of barley.

Exports to Egypt have jumped 1.2 million mt to 4.31 million mt – almost all of it wheat – as Russian sales to Egypt’s state grain importer GASC have edged out all other competition over the course of the marketing year.

GTCS has been a major supplier to GASC over the marketing year.

Only Bangladesh has seen a notable decrease in sales volumes, dropping 215,000 mt year-on-year to 1.5 million mt.