August 15, 2011

Italy's wheat imports decrease, corn increase

Italy, a key grain buyer in Europe, saw its wheat imports decreasing in the first five months of 2011 on year whereas corn imports surged 30.6%, according to industry body Anacer on Friday (Aug 12).

Imports of soft wheat fell 1% to 1,910,442 tonnes in the January-May period, while imports of durum wheat used for making pasta fell 6.6% to 735,313 tonnes from 787,203 tonnes, Anacer said.

Corn imports rose to 1,236,232 tonnes in the first five months of this year in contrast to 946,806 tonnes during the same period last year, it said without giving any additional details.

Italy imports corn to cover 25-30% of its demand, with almost all of its corn imports used to make animal feed and most of the inflows coming from Hungary and Romania, according to Italian feed makers association Assalzoo.

Barley imports rose to 397,539 tonnes in the first five months of 2011 from 342,888 tonnes a year ago, Anacer said.

Exports of soft wheat flour rose 18% to 26,948 tonnes, while sales of durum wheat semolina fell 11% to 35,937 tonnes.