Ukrainian wheat exports rose 50% in the week of April 11 through April 17, despite the government's warning that an export ban should be enforced if exports were too high. Preliminary data from the agricultural consultancy APK-Inform show that 319,000 tons of wheat were exported last week, compared to 217,000 tons in the previous week.
Traras Vysotkiy, deputy economics minister and head of agriculture, told Reuters last week that Ukraine would be willing to limit wheat exports if sales exceeded the limits agreed with traders.
APK-Inform estimates that wheat exports in the 2019/20 marketing year reached a volume of 18.56 million tons as of April 17. At the same time, it was 12 million tons last year.
Total grain exports, including wheat, corn and barley, also rose and reached a volume of 47.436 million tons (previous year: 35.922 million tons). The main customers in Ukraine this season were Egypt, Turkey and Spain.
Ukrainian bakers and millers last month asked the government to limit exports of grain and related products to limit the rise in bread prices in the worsening coronavirus crisis.
The Ministry of Economy said it would control wheat exports and sell flour on the domestic market. A maximum limit of 20.2 million tons was set for wheat exports.
Ukraine harvested 75.1 million tons of grain in 2019, compared to 70 million tons in 2018.
Source
Hansa Terminhandel GmbH
