Articles By Masha Belikova

Investment in the Danube region and other shipping routes meant that Ukraine would probably be able to continue exporting as much as 25 million tonnes per year of agricultural products, Anton Zhemerdieiev, chief commercial officer of Kyiv-based TAS Agro, said during the Intercontinental Commodity Exchange (ICE) conference in Dubai, February 19-20.

The Russian government cut grain export tariffs further for February 27-March 5 amid a stronger ruble, which increased against the dollar to its highest level since September, data from the agriculture ministry website showed on Friday February 21.

Turkey has reason to be cautious and should hope for rain in March and April if grain production is to be maintained in the country, an international conference in Dubai heard on Thursday February 20.

Ukrainian domestic corn prices on a DAP basis in deep-sea water ports reached the highest level since the war with Russia began in February 2022, Fastmarkets data shows.

Bangladesh’s state buying agency, the Directorate General of Food (DGF), has received four offers in its fourth 11.5% milling wheat tender in the 2024/25 marketing year for a nominal 50,000 tonnes of optional-origin 11.5% milling wheat, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday February 19.

Taiwanese feed buying group MFIG has announced a fresh tender for optional-origin corn for April-May shipment, sources told Fastmarkets on Tuesday February 18.

Ukrainian corn has been sold into Vietnam for the first time in more than six months, sources told Fastmarkets on Monday, February 17, after rumors emerged about relatively cheap corn being sold for March-April shipment.

Saudi Arabia’s state grain importer picked up significantly more wheat than planned in its latest tender for 595,000 tonnes of 12.5% milling wheat, which closed on Friday February 14, and ended up buying 920,000 tonnes, at an average of $276.37 per tonne CFR, for May-July shipment.

Russia has lowered its export duties for grains for the February 19-25 period, with the national currency strengthening by at least 6% since February 7 to date, the country’s agriculture ministry said on Friday February 14.

The Australian wheat harvest officially finished some weeks ago, with the final crop estimates heard in range 31-35 million tonnes, with talk in the market about the wheat quality grades available on the market spreading, and a general idea that there was more lower quality wheat available, Fastmarkets heard on Friday February 14.

The Grain Industry of Western Australia (GIWA) forecast for Western Australia wheat production was revised up by 1.6 million tonnes to 12.45 million tonnes, an increase of 63% or 4.8 million tonnes from the its estimate for the 2023/24 marketing year, according to its final 2024/25 marketing year report published on February 14.

International barley export prices have increased strongly since mid-January amid a pick-up in demand, market participants told Fastmarkets during the week to Thursday February 13.

Algeria’s state grains buyer, the Inter-professional Office of Cereals (OAIC), booked at least 330,000 tonnes of wheat in its recent tender, paying $262 per tonne CFR, trade sources told Fastmarkets on Thursday February 13.

Saudi Arabia’s state grain importer has announced a fresh wheat tender for 595,000 tonnes of 12.5% milling wheat for May-July shipment, according to a document seen by Fastmarkets on Thursday February 13.

South Korean feed importer Major Feedmill Group (MFG) has announced a fresh tender for corn, just after buying 115,000 tonnes of feed wheat, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday February 12.

South Korean feed importer Major Feedmill Group (MFG) has picked up 115,000 tonnes of feed wheat in private deals, sources told Fastmarkets on Wednesday February 12.

South Korea’s Feed Leaders Committee (FLC) has announced a fresh tender for optional-origin feed wheat for June 6 arrival, sources told Fastmarkets Tuesday February 11.

Selling ideas for Russian wheat increased on Monday February 10, following the 81% allocation of the 10.6 million tonnes wheat export quota late on Friday February 7, sources told Fastmarkets.

The Russian government has allocated 8.59 million tonnes of the 10.6 million tonnes wheat export quota for February 15-June 30 period, with Grains Gates taking the lion’s share, according to a document released by the agriculture ministry late on Friday February 7.

Freight rates from the Black Sea region have been on a steady decline since September 2023, moving well below levels before the full-scale Russia-Ukraine war, sources told Fastmarkets.