Rouen wheat exports at 100k mt; China, Algeria loadings at 80k mt

The French port of Rouen shipped 100,099 mt of wheat in the week to August 5, with 81% of this volume loaded to Algeria and China, data from French port operator Haropa showed Thursday.

China was the largest destination, with 49,849 mt loaded, followed by Algeria (31,030 mt), Portugal (11,220 mt), the UK (4,400 mt) and Ireland (3,600 mt).

Rouen loaded only one boat with malting barley, shipping 3,875 mt to the German port of Rostock. As well, 2,415 mt of alfalfa left for Ireland.

There were no wheat or barley loadings in La Rochelle in the week to August 5, port data showed.

France has exported only 95,089 mt of wheat since the start of the 2020/21 marketing year, which is 66% below last year’s result for the corresponding period and is 56% below the three-year average, according to European Commission data.

France is set for its fourth-lowest wheat harvest on record in 2020 - the French agricultural ministry predicts production at 29.7 million mt, down 25% year-on-year and down 16% from the four-year average.