The EU has approved export licences for 117,000 tonnes of soft wheat this week, making the total since the beginning of the 2011/12 (July-June) season to 12.3 million tonnes, official data showed on Thursday (June 14).

The total so far this season compared with 18 million tonnes of export licences cleared by the same stage in 2010/11.

The EU also granted this week licences to export 39,000 tonnes of barley, bringing the total this season to 2.8 million tonnes, compared to 4.5 million tonnes at the same stage last season, the data showed.