March 30, 2005

EU wheat import licenses total 110,044 tonnes to Mar 21

The European Union Commission has issued import licenses for 110,044 tonnes of wheat under the EU import quota for low and medium-quality wheat in the week to March 21, official figures issued by the Commission show.

Of the tonnage awarded, 103,794 tonnes was given in the "other origins" contingent; so 1,892,053 tonnes remain available until the end of the year.

No licenses were given in the Canadian contingent, so 32,760 tonnes remain until the end of the year, while 6,250 tonnes was given in the US contingent, with 565,750 tonnes remaining until the end of the year.

The quota, which carries an import duty of EUR12/tonne, totals 2,981,600 tonnes, which breaks down into 2,371,600 tonnes for the other origins contingent, 38,000 tonnes for the Canadian contingent and 572,000 tonnes for the US wheat contingent.

The other-origins contingent is broken into four quarterly branches, each totalling 592,900 tonnes, with traders able to apply for each tranche from the first Monday after Jan 1, April 1, July 1 and Oct 1.