Grain Highlights 03.06.2024

The Russian Grain Union has lowered its forecast for the 2024/25 grain production in Russia to 130.9 million tons (down from 134.2 million tons in the previous estimate).

- The Russian Grain Union has lowered its forecast for the 2024/25 grain production in Russia to 130.9 million tons (down from 134.2 in the previous estimate), including a wheat production of 84.6 million tons (down from 86.6), barley production of 19.3 million tons (-1.6%), and corn production of 15.3 million tons (unchanged).

- In May, 2.029 million tons of wheat were exported from the Russian port of Novorossiysk, a 10.6% increase compared to May 2023. The main clients were Egypt (397,400 tons), Kenya (221,800 tons), and Iran (142,300 tons).

- By the end of the week, the Russian government is likely to declare a state of emergency across the entire country due to the damage caused by the frosts in May.

- Frosts on May 29 and 30 in parts of the Novosibirsk region of Russia have damaged sunseed crops. Prior to this, prolonged rainfall had caused damage to all crops.

- As of May 30, 2024, 601,400 hectares have been planted with wheat in Argentina, which is 9.7% of the planned areas (20.2% is the average for the last five years). The areas planted with wheat in the new season are expected to reach 6.2 million hectares (up from 5.9 million hectares currently). The 2023/24 harvesting campaign of corn has been completed on 30.1% of the areas, with 18.19 million tons of grain harvested.

- Algeria has announced a tender to purchase 50,000 tons of soft milling wheat with delivery in August.

- The IGC forecasts the global sunflower seed production in 2024/25 to be 57.1 million tons (down from 58.1 in the April estimate and 57.4 in 2023/24). Sunseed production is expected to reach 17.2 million tons in Russia (down from 17.6), 16.2 million tons in Ukraine (down from 16.5), 3.9 million tons in Argentina (down from 4), 1.6 million tons in China (down from 1.7), 0.7 million tons in the United States (down from 1), 10.7 million tons in the EU (up from 10.2), 1.8 million tons in Turkey (up from 1.6), and 1.3 million tons in Kazakhstan (up from 1.2).