Grain Highlights 04.09.2024

In August, grain exports from Russia reached 6.754 million tons (-12.3% compared to August 2023), according to data from the Russian Grain Union.

- In August, grain exports from Russia reached 6.754 million tons (-12.3% compared to August 2023), according to data from the Russian Grain Union. Of this, 5.06 million tons were wheat (-6.7%), 499,400 tons were barley (1.34 million tons previously), and 193,000 tons were corn (257,500 tons previously). Since the beginning of the season, grain exports have totaled 12.251 million tons (-8.1%), including 10.143 million tons of wheat (-8.2%), 1.613 million tons of barley (-11.3%), and 495,000 tons of corn (-4.6%).

- Between July 1 and September 4, 2024, Ukraine exported 7.201 million tons of grain (4.884 million a year earlier), including 212,000 tons in September (297,000 previously). Exports included 3.78 million tons of wheat (2.194 million), 1.104 million tons of barley (522,000), and 2.288 million tons of corn (2.156 million).

- In 2023/24, Ukraine’s soybean exports reached a record 3.26 million tons (+5% compared to 2022/23). Exports in 2024/25 are forecasted at 3.5 million tons.

- By the end of last week, 2% of US crops had been sown according to NASS data. Spring wheat had been harvested from 70% of the areas. The harvesting campaign of corn had not yet begun, and 65% of the crops were in good to excellent condition (the same as the previous week, compared to 53% a year earlier), with soybean crops at 65% (-2% for the week).

- In 2024/25, soybean acreage in Argentina may rise to the highest level in the last 10 years, while acreage in Brazil will grow at the slowest pace, according to a forecast by Agriculture. Acreage will reach 16.8 million hectares, while corn areas will decrease by 2 million hectares. In Brazil, acreage will reach 47 million hectares. The slowdown in Brazil's growth rate is unlikely to reduce global reserves, as this decline is driven by market growth.

- China experienced its hottest summer on record since meteorological observations began. The average temperature during the period June 1 – August 31, 2024, was 22.3°C, the highest since records began in 1691. The warm period started unusually early. By the end of the summer, there are still risks of extreme weather, with expected heavy rains that could cause flooding.

- Indonesia is raising its export tax on palm oil in September to 142 USD/ton (118 in August 2024). The country plans to produce 16 million kiloliters of biodiesel from palm oil annually (compared to 13 million the previous year), with the share of biofuel in diesel fuel reaching 50% (compared to 35%).

- India's push to increase ethanol production from corn has transformed the Asian nation from the largest corn exporter in Asia to a net importer for the first time in 10 years. According to Olam estimates, the annual demand for corn for ethanol production will reach 6-7 million tons annually, compared to 5 million tons in 2023. In 2024, corn exports from India will amount to 450,000 tons (compared to 2-4 million tons in recent years), while imports will reach 1 million tons, mainly from Myanmar and Ukraine. Feed mills are calling on authorities to remove import duties and lift the ban on the use of GM corn.

- In August, India imported 791,000 tons of palm oil (-27% compared to July), 456,000 tons of soyoil (+16%), 456,000 tons of rapeseed oil (+8%), and 288,000 tons of sunseed oil (-21%).

- On September 3, 2024, Jordan purchased 60,000 tons of feed barley (from a tender for 120,000 tons), at a price of 222 USD/ton C&F.