October 25, 2010

Morocco's grain imports increase 31%

Morocco's grain imports rose 31% in the four months to September 30, driven mainly by higher purchase of corn and soft milling wheat, state cereal agency ONCIL said Friday (Oct 29).

"At the end of the fourth month of the commercial season 2010/2011, imports of cereals totalled 11 million quintals (1.1 million tonnes) versus 8.4 million quintals in the same period last season," it added.

Imports of corn and soft wheat accounted for 52% and 25% respectively of the total purchase while barley and durum wheat constituted 12% and 11% of the buying respectively, it said.

The grain commercial season in Morocco began in June and ends in May 2011. Morocco, the world's 10th biggest wheat importer, saw its harvest this year slashed by bad weather to 7.46 million tonnes from a record 10.2 million tonnes last year.

France provided 39% of the imports and Argentine 23% followed by the US with 20%, Canada 16% and Sweden and Germany 1% each. Morocco stepped up imports of cereals, mainly soft wheat, this year to offset its lower domestic crop.

Last month, ONCIL approved the import of 1.2 million tonnes of soft milling wheat over the period September 16 to December 31. The government announced in August it would cancel customs duty on imports of soft wheat from September 16 to December.