Global flour trade revised lower

In its latest quarterly update of wheat flour trade for the 2024-25 marketing year, the International Grains Council (IGC) made a significant upward revision of 1.6 million tonnes (wheat equivalent) from its previous forecast in April. However, at 16.1 million tonnes, it would still fall short of the estimated total for 2023-24, pegged at a six-year high of 16.8 million tonnes. “While generally robust global demand for flour is anticipated in the current season, the annual retreat in traded volumes is largely linked to expected smaller imports by Near East Asia, notably by Iraq,” the IGC said. “Rising local availabilities could see flour purchases by that country, typically mainly originating from Turkey, drop to a decade-low of 1.5 million tonnes.” Still, Iraq is set to remain the world’s second-largest importer of flour, which is expected to account for the bulk of the country’s 2024-25 all-wheat imports, the IGC said. Conversely, Afghanistan, the world’s leading flour importer, ...