Wheat: Unquenched foreign demand

September 22, 2017 at 7:21 AM , Starry Night Ltd.
Play report as audio

SOFIA. Highest export activities so far in the marketing season. Prices remain on a bearish trend.

Wheat: much better quality crops this year

BULGARIA. Before harvest, farmers expected national output to have come around 5,2 mmt because to-be-harvested acreages this year were by 2.6% lower than those during 2016; hailstorms hit some corn areas throughout the North regions; and lack of favorable weather conditions affected corn fields within the general South. However, after harvest ended, farmers collected 5,761,626 mt.

The higher average yield -  5,24 mt/ha is the main reason for the higher output this season; the current yield is by 10.3% higher than that of last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. In addition, when buyers took samples, they found the quality characteristics of wheat harvest 2017-18 to be much better.

Ships have been lined-up for uploading

Farmers of substantial acreages have already sold out their wheat stocks since they had to free up space for sunflower while now are storing recently harvested corn. The majority of the crop is currently held by intermediary market players, who keep exports all-time high.

The higher the output, the larger the exported volumes. By the 15th of September 2017, exports to EU member countries reached 1,518,473 mt while those to the rest of the world stood at 187,139 mt, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. By the 16th of September 2016, exports to the world accounted to 1,399,830 mt, which is by close to 18% lower than current total exports.

Harvest 2017-18

(01.07.2017 - 15.09.2017)

Carry over

   179,000 mt

Domestic output

5,761,626 mt

Domestic consumption

   326,400 mt

Exports to the world

1,705,612 mt

Source: Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture

Remaining stocks by the end of last week stood at 4,050,543 mt. If only prices were somewhat higher, all could have gone in favor of local market players. Yet, regional competition exerts downward pressure on prices.

Wheat, Bulgaria

Type

EUR/kg

milling wheat

0.140

feed wheat

0.133

EXW Bulgaria

 

 

 

View related articles

Go to the News Overview
Grains
Feb 11, 2025
LIMA/SUCRE. In Peru, market players are reporting low stocks of white quinoa, especially of organic quality. Organic supplies are also becoming scarce in Bolivia, and prices keep increasing.
Organic Commodities
Feb 7, 2025
ASUNCIÓN. Due to the shortfalls in production in South America buyers have turned resourceful in obtaining chia seeds. Prices have certainly surged to unwanted highs.
Grains
Feb 6, 2025
DALIAN/KYIV. The Chinese buckwheat market remained quiet due to the public holidays. In Ukraine, cultivation results are expected to be similar to last year.
Grains
Feb 6, 2025
DALIAN/KYIV. The Chinese New Year caused calm market conditions. The EU has halved imports of millet this season.