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Corn: Strongly advancing on EU markets; losing grounds on non-EU ones

March 2, 2018 at 11:39 AM , Starry Night Ltd.
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SOFIA. Shipped volumes to EU markets have traced an upward trajectory while those to non-EU ones have dragged behind.

BULGARIA. Before the sudden, recent shift in weather conditions, resulting in deep snow cover throughout the whole country, overall the moisture in fields had been ample; indeed, more than enough in some regions, according to local farmers. The recent snowfall, reaching as much as 50 cm in areas within the North regions of the country will further infuse moisture in the different soil layers.

Corn: exports to the EU on the rise; those to non-EU countries record a dip

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, by the end of last week, shipped quantities to EU markets reached close to 650 tmt, which on a year-to-year basis is by 12.44% higher than exported quantities to the same market destination from last year. The higher quality characteristics of the grains from harvest 2017-18, backed-up by competitive local prices, has made it possible for exports to skyrocket since early in the season; although the upbeat trend was stalled during several periods, as if reflective of lower prevailing prices.

      Harvest 2017-18

(01.09.2017 - 23.02.2018)

            units in MT

Beginning availability

580,000

Aggregate output

2,315,387

Imports

10,460

Domestic consumption

630,000

   food & industrial usage

240,000

   Feed

390,000

Exports to the world

766,400

   to EU markets

   649,857

   to rest of the world

   116,543

Source: Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture

As it has been for other locally grown grains such as wheat, barley and rapeseed during the current marketing season, corn exports to non-EU markets have substantially suffered on an yearly basis. By the 23rd of the February 2018, shipped volumes to such destinations reached 116,543 mt or by 24% lower than those of last year the same time. It is not the potential of local intermediary market players to export – the country realized a higher output during harvest 2017-18; no, it is competitive market forces within the Black sea basin that exert pressure on exports to markets outside the EU.

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