January 18, 2012

UK exports 442,797 tonnes November wheat

UK wheat exports in November amounted to 442,797 tonnes, up 0.8% compared with the same period in 2010, customs data showed Tuesday (Jan 17).

However, the figures were more than 62% higher than the October value.

Shipments in the first five months of the 2011-12 marketing year totaled 1.25 million tonnes, compared with 1.64 million tonnes in the same period from the last season, the data show.

The Home Grown Cereal Authority last week warned that UK exports into the European Union were being made less competitive as sterling hovers around a 16-month high against the euro.

The body added Monday that the pound had firmed once more over the weekend following France's credit rating downgrade and fresh concerns about a Greek debt default.

The month's largest buyer was again the Netherlands, which purchased 173,068 tonnes on top of the 361,046 tonnes bought between July and October. Spain, another traditional buyer of UK wheat, purchased 77,983 tonnes, while Germany bought 25,801 tonnes.

The US and Algeria also made their first purchases of the 2011-12 season, taking 49,498 tonnes and 24,876 tonnes respectively.