French soft wheat deliveries outside the EU reached a four-year high in April, as refinitive data show. French exporters continued to ship large quantities during the coronavirus pandemic.
Soft wheat exports to destinations outside the European Union amounted to 1.56 million tonnes, the highest April volume since the 2015/16 season, according to an initial estimate based on refinitive data.
The April volume increased by 70,000 tons compared to the previous month, which is the highest total monthly volume in the 2019/20 season.
Exporters have had to cope with transportation and personnel problems caused by a nationwide shutdown in France since March 17 to combat the spread of the corona virus.
However, traders said that grain companies were largely able to complete loads, albeit with delays and additional costs.
Last month's exports increased the total amount of common wheat delivered to non-EU destinations since the beginning of 2019/20 to almost 11 million tons.
French deliveries remain at the pace needed to reach total exports for the season, as FranceAgriMer predicts. The company raised its forecast again last month to a record 13.2 million tons, compared to 12.7 million tons previously.
After the deliveries in April, France would only have to export a little more than 1 million tons of common wheat per month in May and June in order to achieve the latest forecast.
China remained an important sales market for French common wheat in April with 265,000 tons exported.
North Africa was still the largest import zone for French common wheat. The first estimates for exports to Algeria were 644,000 tons and exports to Morocco 369,000 tons.
Including a small amount shipped by sea to other EU countries, 1.65 million tons of common wheat were shipped from French ports last month, also the highest since April 2015 for the month of April.
Most French grain exported to the EU is transported by non-maritime routes such as road, rail or water.
Total grain shipments from French ports in April - including barley, malted barley, corn and durum wheat - also hit a 4-year high for this month, at 2.18 million tons.
Soft wheat exports to destinations outside the European Union amounted to 1.56 million tonnes, the highest April volume since the 2015/16 season, according to an initial estimate based on refinitive data.
The April volume increased by 70,000 tons compared to the previous month, which is the highest total monthly volume in the 2019/20 season.
Exporters have had to cope with transportation and personnel problems caused by a nationwide shutdown in France since March 17 to combat the spread of the corona virus.
However, traders said that grain companies were largely able to complete loads, albeit with delays and additional costs.
Last month's exports increased the total amount of common wheat delivered to non-EU destinations since the beginning of 2019/20 to almost 11 million tons.
French deliveries remain at the pace needed to reach total exports for the season, as FranceAgriMer predicts. The company raised its forecast again last month to a record 13.2 million tons, compared to 12.7 million tons previously.
After the deliveries in April, France would only have to export a little more than 1 million tons of common wheat per month in May and June in order to achieve the latest forecast.
China remained an important sales market for French common wheat in April with 265,000 tons exported.
North Africa was still the largest import zone for French common wheat. The first estimates for exports to Algeria were 644,000 tons and exports to Morocco 369,000 tons.
Including a small amount shipped by sea to other EU countries, 1.65 million tons of common wheat were shipped from French ports last month, also the highest since April 2015 for the month of April.
Most French grain exported to the EU is transported by non-maritime routes such as road, rail or water.
Total grain shipments from French ports in April - including barley, malted barley, corn and durum wheat - also hit a 4-year high for this month, at 2.18 million tons.
Source
Hansa Terminhandel GmbH
