Russia wheat exports up 27% on year to 17.6 million mt

Russian wheat exports continued at pace in the week to December 10, with 821,000 mt shipped out according to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture on Monday.

Total wheat exports for the 2017/18 marketing year from July 1 now stand at 17.63 million mt, 26.7% higher than at the same stage last year.

Barley sales are close to last year's levels at 3.15 million my, while corn sales have dropped 5.2% on year to 1.85 million mt.

Total grain sales are now 22.79 million mt, up 28.4% from last year as sellers have defied fears of logistical bottlenecks and succeeded in getting this year’s record-breaking crop on to the international market.

Ahead of the traditional new year slowdown on the export market, plans are afoot to keep ports open and working at full capacity throughout the holiday period.

“I have no doubt Russia will export 47 million mt of grain this year,” one wheat trader told Census.