Last month, about 19,000 tons of grain were delivered to the Romanian port of Constanța, while as many as 31,000 tons were exported to Italy, which still maintains the position of the largest importer of wheat from Serbia.
Other quantities were exported to Albania, Macedonia and BiH. And in 2022, from July to June of this year, Italy was the main buyer. It has continued, and I hope it will continue to do so. Two years ago, there was a slight drop in sales, but in 2022 we exported 200,000 tons of grain to that market – said Zdravko Šajatović, director of this association.
The first month of the current economic year brings better results for millers who exported almost 16,000 tons of flour, which is about 20 percent more compared to last year’s monthly average. The average export price of flour in July was slightly more than 280 euros per ton.
That was quite cheap, but wheat was also cheap. I think the prices of wheat and flour will slowly go up. Geopolitical factors significantly affect the price of grain, which suits us as an exporting country – said Šajatović.
Global grain prices increased after Russia recently attacked a Ukrainian port on the Danube. The attack destroyed buildings at the port of Izmail, halting ships preparing to arrive to load Ukrainian grain despite a blockade imposed by Russia in mid-July.
After the attack, wheat prices rose, the stock exchange in Chicago reacted by almost five percent due to concerns about the reduction of global supplies due to the exclusion from the market of Ukraine, one of the world’s largest exporters.
According to “Agroclub”, producers in Ukraine are already feeling the impact, because they cannot deliver their products. Before Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Agreement, Ukrainian river ports on the Danube accounted for only about a quarter of grain exports. Now Constanta is the main route, and Kiev’s goal is to have international ships arrive directly there and load goods directly.
Sign up for business updates & specials.
