December 30, 2011

French port of Rouen's grain shipments decline by 89%

Grain exports from the French port of Rouen plunged by 89% to the least in more than a year as activity slowed in the year-end holiday period.

Outbound shipments amounted to 17,460 tonnes from December 22 to December 28, against 160,573 tonnes in the prior week, the Seine River port said. Cargoes, which included 15,410 tonnes of wheat, were the lowest since at least August 2010.

Morocco was the biggest destination with 12,495 tonnes of wheat, compared with 145,938 tonnes the previous week.

Rouen accounted for 45% of France's maritime grain exports in 2009-10, ahead of La Pallice on the Bay of Biscay, which shipped out 19%, according to figures from national crops office FranceAgriMer.