According to data released by the European Commission on Tuesday, soft wheat exports from the European Union during the 2023/24 season from July to March 23 totaled 22.8 million metric tons, marking a 2% decrease compared to the same period in the previous season when exports reached 23.2 million tons. EU barley exports stood at 4.2 million tons, down by 12% from 4.8 million tons in the corresponding period of 2022/23, while maize imports were recorded at 13.2 million tons, reflecting a significant decline of 38% compared to the previous year’s 21.5 million tons.
The latest publication, following a three-week hiatus due to technical issues, provided data up to Saturday instead of the usual Sunday update. Some data gaps were noted, including missing information for Ireland since June 2023, limited import data for Bulgaria until January 10, 2024, and import figures for Hungary up to November 27, 2023. Despite the overall decrease in soft wheat exports, EU wheat imports have shown an increase compared to the previous season, with soft wheat imports rising by 4% to 7.12 million tons, primarily driven by nearly 5 million tons imported from Ukraine.
The influx of Ukrainian grain into Europe following disruptions caused by Russia’s invasion has raised concerns among EU farmers. Discussions within the bloc include proposals to subject maize from Ukraine to trade restrictions, with France advocating for wheat to be included in the list of restricted farm products.