November 5, 2004

EU Gives 161,000 MT Soft Wheat Export Licenses In Week To Nov 4

The European Commission has issued export licenses for 161,000 metric tons of soft wheat through its daily "Common Right" or standing refund export license system in the week to Nov. 4, official Commission figures show Thursday.

This means the total number of licenses for wheat for the 2004-05 marketing year, excluding those issued for wheat flour, now stands at 3.908 million tons.

The licenses were all awarded at zero value and are valid for to up to five months.

For durum wheat, the Commission awarded licenses for the export of 10,000 tons, bringing the total so far to 430,000 tons, while 7,000 tons of export licenses were awarded for barley, with a total of 146,000 tons.

For corn, the Commission gave licenses for 1,000 tons, bringing the total to 87,000 tons, while it gave licenses for 26,000 tons of rye, for a total of 228,000 tons of rye. For oats it issued licenses for 13,000 tons, for a total of 102,000 tons.

Since the Commission took the decision on July 31, 2003, to suspend its weekly export tender until further notice, traders can currently obtain new export licenses only by applying through the daily system.