November 28, 2011

Ukraine's grain exports reach 1.6 million tonnes in November

Analyst ProAgro said on Friday (Nov 25) that Ukraine exported around 1.6 million tonnes of grain from November 1-23, 2011.

The consultancy said the volume included 1.2 million tonnes of corn, 311,000 tonnes of wheat and 14,000 tonnes of barley.

Ukraine exported corn mostly to Egypt (296,200 tonnes), Spain (260,000 tonnes) and Portugal (146,000 tonnes). It also sold corn to Iran, Algeria, Syria, Netherlands, Iran, Tunisia, Germany and other countries.

Ukrainian wheat went to Saudi Arabia (67,000 tonnes), Bangladesh (55,000 tonnes), Israel, Tunisia and other states. Ukraine exported barley to Cyprus and Greece.

ProAgro said about 700,000 tonnes of additional grain, including 500,000 tonnes of corn and 200,000 of wheat should be exported in the nearest future.

Ukraine plans to harvest an all-time high 55 million tonnes of grain in 2011 and plans to export a record 27 million tonnes in the 2011/12 season (July-June).

Ukrainian officials have said the grain exports reached six million tonnes in July to mid-November and could total 10 million tonnes in July-December. The shipments should rocket to 17 million tonnes in January-June 2012.

But local traders' union UZA said on Friday (Nov 25) the exports would not exceed 20 million tonnes due to a shortage of railway grain wagons.