Russia exports record 5.6 mln tonnes of wheat in Aug, forecast of 5.3 mln tonnes for Sept - Rusagrotrans

MOSCOW. Sept 9 (Interfax) - Russia exported a record of 5.6 million tonnes of wheat for the month in August, JSC Rusagrotrans analytical center told Interfax.

The record was set despite high competition from Eastern European wheat, restraints on export sales from the domestic market, and a ban on imports to Kazakhstan, the analysts said. The previous record was set a year ago at 5.4 million tonnes. Exports overall totaled 9.4 million tonnes in the two months of the July-August 2024-2025 season, nearly comparable to the 9.6 million tonnes of wheat shipped to foreign markets in July-August 2023.

Rusagrotrans data indicate that around 1.4 million tonnes of Russian wheat were delivered to Egypt in July-August against 1.3 million tonnes a year ago, 0.68 million tonnes versus 0.65 million tonnes to Bangladesh, 0.68 million tonnes against 1.1 million tonnes to Turkey, 0.49 million tonnes versus 0.8 million tonnes to Algeria, and 0.47 million tonnes against 0.55 million tonnes to Israel, respectively.

Rusagrotrans also notes "extremely active deliveries to Vietnam, where more has already been exported in the first two months of the season than in the entire last season at nearly 246,000 tonnes against 198,000 tonnes in the 2023-2024 agricultural season."

According to their forecast, accounting for the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries, wheat exports could total 5.3 million tonnes in September against 5.5 million tonnes in September 2023.

Rusagrotrans data indicate that prices for 4th class, 12.5% protein wheat at deep-water ports for delivery by roadway increased by 450 rubles per tonne week-on-week to 16,300-16,400 rubles per tonne, excluding VAT, CPT Novorossiysk. However, prices decreased at low water ports by 200 rubles per tonne week-on-week to 14,300 rubles per tonne. Prices were 16,050 rubles per tonne and 13,500 rubles per tonne, respectively, last year. The price for delivery by railway was 17,000-17,200 rubles per tonne compared to 17,300 rubles per tonne the week before.

"The domestic wheat market maintained the level of the previous week with an increase in supply, and a high level of demand from processors was still recorded in Central Russia," Rusagrotrans said. Prices for 4th class, 12.5% protein wheat, EXW elevator, remained at 14,000 rubles per tonne in the south and 13,700-13,900 rubles per tonne in the center, while prices fell to 12,500-14,000 rubles per tonne in the Volga Region. All prices are exclusive of VAT.

Purchase prices for 4th class wheat remained at 10,000-10,500 rubles per tonne in Siberia. However, the supply level was low, as mass harvesting has not started owing to rains that continue to affect the quality of wheat negatively and increase losses. This mainly concerns Altai, the Novosibirsk and Kemerovo regions, and Krasnoyarsk Territory. "However, a drier period should begin already from the middle of next week, favorable for continuing to harvest grain crops," the analysts noted.