Grain Highlights 03.03.2023

According to data from FranceAgriMer, as of 27.02.2023, 95% of the winter wheat crops in France are in good and excellent condition (93% a week earlier), as well as 92% of the durum crops (91%).

- SovEcon lowered their forecast for the Russian wheat production in 2023 from 86 million tons to 85.3 million tons, including winter wheat production of 60.9 million tons (61.6) and spring wheat production of 24.4 million tons.

- In the week starting on 09.03.2023, the export tax on Russian wheat will be 5,371.6 rubles/ton (5,272.2 a week earlier), the export tax on barley will be 3,548.8 rubles/ton (3,872.3)and the export tax on corn will be 2,740 rubles/ton (2,264.6).

- In Russia, 93% of the crops with winter crops are in good condition, which is above the average for the last five years.

- As of March 2, 2023, 95% of the 2022 corn areas were harvested in Ukraine, and 26.9 million tons of corn were harvested (26.79 a week earlier). 3,500 hectares are sown with spring crops.

- According to Fedoil data, the processing of oil crops in the EU was 3.32 million tons in January 2023. 1.7 million tons of rapeseed  (-2% compared to December and -2% compared to January 2022), 501,000 tons of sunseed (-2% and +7%) and 1.2 million tons of soybeans (+5% and -3%) have been processed.

- According to data from FranceAgriMer, as of 27.02.2023, 95% of the winter wheat crops in France are in good and excellent condition (93% a week earlier), as well as 92% of the durum crops (91%). 92% of the planned areas have been sown with spring barley (+12% for the week and 42% on average for the last five years).

- In February soybean exports from Brazil reached 7.72 million tons according to Anec data (944,400 in January and -1.4 compared to February 2022). The export of soymeal reached 1.28 million tons (1.4 and 1.57).

- Buenos Aires Grain Exchange lowered their forecast for the 2022/23 soybean production in Argentina for the fourth time in a row to 33.5 million tons (48 initially). The corn production is projected to reach 41 million tons (50).

- According to a forecast by Graincorp Ltd GNC.AX, the 2023/24 wheat production in Australia will not exceed 25-26 million tons given the looming El Niño phenomenon and expected drought. In 2022/23, the production was 36.6 million tons

- India shipped 586,000 tons of palm oil in February (-30% from January), the lowest level since June 2022.  Soyoil exports were 340,000 tons (-3.7%) and sunseed oil exports reached 150,000 tons (-67%).

- In the first five months of 2022/23, corn imports into Thailand were 200,000 tons (-13% compared to the previous year). In 2022/23, the estimate for the production in the country remains unchanged at 5.2 million tons.

- Turkey has bought the requested 790,000 tons of milling wheat with 12% protein from Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Romania, at a price of 308.1 – 319.5 USD/ton C&F and delivery within March - May.

- Turkey has purchased 440,000 tons of feed barley with delivery within 10.03 – 11.05.2023 and at a price of 276 – 294.6 USD/ton C&F.

- Tunisia is looking to buy 25,000 tons of feed barley of any origin and March-April delivery.

- Iran has announced a tender for the purchase of 60,000 tons of Russian wheat with delivery until 15.04.2023. Subsequently, data emerged that several hundred thousand tons of Russian wheat were purchased.