Grain Highlights 02.02.2023

Given the unfavorable weather conditions in Russia, IKAR lowered its forecast for the 2023 wheat production from 87 million tons to 84 million tons.

- Rusagrotrans raises its forecast for grain exports from Russia in 2022/23 to 56.6 million tons from 55 million tons in the previous estimate.

- Given the unfavorable weather conditions in Russia, IKAR lowered its forecast for the 2023 wheat production from 87 million tons to 84 million tons. The grain production is projected to reach 128.5 million tons. The Russian Grain Union expects a wheat production in the range of 77.5 - 80.5 million tons and a total grain production of 117 - 123 million tons. Rusagrotrans lowered its forecast for the wheat production by 1 million tons to 81.5 million tons, and the grain production to 127.2 million tons.

- In 2023, the grain production in Ukraine will reach 34 million tons (-37% compared to 2022 and -60% compared to 2021). The production of oil crops will be 19.3 million tons (+13% and -15%). The areas with cereals in 2023 will be 8.7 million hectares (-22% and -45%), and oil crops areas are expected at 9.7 million hectares (+32% and -9%).

- From the beginning of the season to the end of January, 4.5 million tons of rapeseed were delivered to the EU (3.1 a year earlier). Over the week of January 23-29, imports reached 217,100 tons (12,700 the previous week). 2.58 million tons of rapeseed were delivered from Ukraine and 1.55 million tons from Australia. During the period, rapeseed exports from the EU were 389,000 tons (+1%), including 282,000 tons for Great Britain, 47,000 tons from Pakistan and 40,000 tons from the United States.

- In the fall of 2022, 0.87 million hectares of winter crops were sown in Serbia (+8.9% compared to 2021). Wheat areas are 0.67 million hectares (+13.6%) and barley areas reach 0.11 million hectares.

- Chicago commodity funds were net buyers of 1,000 corn contracts and net sellers of 6,000 soybeans and 500 wheat contracts yesterday.

- In January, palm oil shipments to India were 770,000 tons (-31% from December), the lowest level since July 2022. Soyoil imports were 395,000 tons (+56%) and sunseed oil imports were 473,000 tons (+143%), which is a record achievement.

- Jordan has bought 60,000 tons of milling wheat most likely from Romania at a price of 336.5 USD/ton C&F and delivery in June. A tender has been announced for the purchase of 120,000 tons of milling wheat with delivery within May-June. Purchased 50,000 tons of barley at 302.3 USD/ton C&F and delivery in June.

- Egypt's state-owned company GASC has canceled a tender for the purchase of corn due to high prices. At the previous tender, 50,000 tons of corn were purchased from Romania.