India
Wheat Production to Record High Despite Unseasonal Rains (Mar 28)
In India, central government officials claimed that the unseasonal rains and hailstorms in several parts of the country will likely not dent wheat production. From March 3, states across India received heavy rainfalls causing crop loss.
Around 52.3K hectares of wheat have been damaged by unseasonal rains, hailstorms, and strong winds in three Indian states, leading to harvest challenges for farmers and concerns about yield losses. The majority of the wheat is grown in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, which have all received untimely rainfalls, and assessment of crop damage in Punjab and Haryana is still ongoing.
Russia
Russia Exports a Record 36.6M Tons of Wheat by the End of March (Mar 27)
Wheat exports in July-March of the 2022/23 season are forecasted to exceed the exports of the previous season by 3.7M tons, reaching 36.6M tons. The forecast for wheat exports in March 2023 has increased from 4.6M to 4.7M tons. Around 3.5M tons have been shipped from March 1 to March 22.
Russian Wheat Export Prices Continue to Fall on Rising Supply (Mar 27)
Russian wheat export prices decreased after an agreement allowing the safe export of Ukrainian grain to the Black Sea was renewed, supporting the downward trend in world markets and increasing export volumes. The price of Russian 12.5% protein wheat decreased to USD 272/tonne, delivered free on board (FOB) to Black Sea ports.
United States
Condition of US Winter Wheat Crops Slightly Improved Over the Week (Mar 28)
The USDA reported that 51% of US winter wheat crops are affected by drought. This figure is slightly lower than in W12, with 53%. In Texas, 18% of winter grain crops are in good and excellent condition compared to 23% a week earlier, and the share of crops in poor condition increased from 44% to 48% over the week.
Nebraska Wheat Rating Mixed on Month (Mar 28)
The USDA reported that 22% of Nebraska's winter wheat crop is in excellent condition, an increase of 3% compared to the end of February. Soil moisture levels were unchanged, and except for the extreme southeastern corner of the state, almost all of Nebraska remains in some stage of drought.
The Price of Wheat Is at a Four-Week High in the US (Mar 30)
On March 29, wheat crop prices increased overseas and in the United States. In Chicago, wheat increased by 0.9%, and wheat futures rose to a more than four-week high after a grain trader stated it would halt shipments of Russian grain from the world's biggest wheat exporter's export terminal.
Weekly US Wheat Sales for 2022/23 Crop Rise to 151.7K Ton; Within Expectations (Mar 30)
Weekly wheat sales for the 2022/23 US crop, from March 17 to 23, totaled 151.7K tonnes, an increase compared to the previous week with 125.6K tonnes, but 40% below the four-week average.
Drought Puts Wheat Crop in Jeopardy (Mar 31)
In the United States, a drought that began in 2022 continues to persist across the Southern Plains, stressing the winter wheat crop and leading some growers to consider abandoning the crop.
Wheat Acreage in the US Will Increase by 9% (April 1)
The USDA reported that the wheat planting area for the 2023 crop would increase to 49.9M acres, an increase of 9% compared to 2022.
Brazil
Wheat Production Could Reach 12M Tons (Mar 28)
Wheat planting has started in some regions of Brazil, and the first estimates of planting for the 2023/24 harvest, showed a significant increase in planted area. The area could reach 3.4M hectares, an increase of 5.1% compared to the previous season. If no climatic complications occur, the wheat crop should reach up to 12.07M tons.
Global
The New Forecast Data for the Grain Balance of Europe and the World in 2023/24 (Mar 27)
The International Grains Council (IGC) reported the first forecast for the global grain balance in 2023/24 MY. The council forecasted a decrease in global wheat production in 2023/23 by 14M tons, compared to the expected for the current MY, from 801M tons to 787M tons. Despite the significant decrease compared to the record level in 2022, the volume forecast will be the second largest in the history of global wheat production.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan Is Ready to Increase Wheat Exports to China up to 1M Tons (Mar 28)
On March 28, the Minister of Trade and Integration stated that Kazakhstan is ready to increase wheat exports to China by up to 1M tons per year. The head of the Ministry of Trade mentioned that for this purpose, instructions were given on the pilot direction of one railway train of grain to the bonded zone of the PRC.
The Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan proposed a ban on the import of Russian wheat. The draft order to ban wheat imports by road into the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan for six months was published on March 29, and the public discussion of the document will last until April 5.
Sudan
Sudan Will Need 3.5M Tons of Imported Wheat (Mar 30)
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FOA) predicted that Sudan could require to import 3.5M tons of wheat in 2023 as its crop could fall by a third as farmers switch to other crops.
Turkey
Turkish Grain Board Announce Winning Tender Bids for 695K MT of Milling Wheat (Mar 30)
The Turkish Grain Board (TMO) has opened up a new tender for the import of 695K MT of milling wheat. TMO announced the winning bid price which ranged from USD 281.9-308.7/MT CIF depending on the delivery port. The first 360K MT of the tender will be delivered between May 18th and June 16th, whereas the remaining 335K MT will be delivered between June 12th and July 10th.
Ukraine
For 8 Months of 2022/23 MY, Ukraine Exported a Little More Than 11M Tons of Wheat (Mar 28)
According to the results of 8 months of 2022/23 MY, the export of Ukrainian wheat amounted to 11.3M tons, a decrease of 37% compared to 18.1M tons for the same period of 2021/22 MY. Almost 6.4M of the total grain exports were shipped through the grain corridor.
