IKAR in Mass and Industry Media

Russia grain export activity high, home prices low

Reuters

MOSCOW, April 20 (Reuters) - Russian grain exporters activity remained high last week with some cereal export prices stable and others rising slightly, while domestic prices continued to fall, analysts said on Monday.

Exporters have reportedly switched part of their activities from ordinary soft food wheat to higher protein wheat and feed barley, the Institute for Agricultural Market Studies (IKAR) said.

Forward ordinary wheat export prices had slightly strengthened to $182 per tonne, while those for feed barley remained almost unchanged at $138, both FOB Novorossiisk, and maize was stable at $140 at small Azov ports, it said.

CPT prices were practically unchanged from the previous week, SovEcon agricultural analysts said.

Bid prices for fourth-grade wheat were in the region of 5,500 roubles ($164.6) per tonne, CPT Novorossiisk and for maize at 4,200-4,400 per tonne, it said.

Domestic cash prices continued to gradually descend last week, IKAR said. Third-grade wheat eased to $155 per tonne, fourth grade to $134, fifth-grade feed wheat to $108.

SovEcon said third-grade wheat lost 50 roubles per tonne last week, while fourth-grade wheat was practically unchanged.

Traders reported a shortage of quality grain in some regions as warm weather worsened conditions for grain storage, it said.

According to IKAR, feed barley prices remained unchanged at $86, ex-works southern Russia. SovEcon said average feed wheat, barley and maize prices lost 100 roubles with the deline led by North Caucasus, where winter barley harvesting is to start shortly.Total estimated 2008/09 grain exports have reached nearly 18 million tonnes, IKAR said. Since the start of the season Russia has exported a record high level of flour - 284,000 tonnes, compared to the record 235,000 tonnes for the whole of 2007/08.

It said domestic intervention tenders have received a new push after the government decided to buy more feed barley.

Average offer prices for sunseeds declined last week after crushers lovered prices to 8,800-9,500 roubles per tonne CPT, SovEcon said. In some cases prices remained unchanged, but quality demands were raised.

Sunoil prices rose by 100 roubles after two months of decline.

The main reason behind the rise was stronger export prices, SovEcon said, adding sunseed stock holders should not expect a substantial increase as supply remains quite high and seeds are still quite expensive in relation to oil.

White sugar prices strengthened to $613 per tonne from $602 in Krasnodar last week, IKAR said.

"The price remains much cheaper than the estimated cost of production of white sugar from raw sugar, so we expect a further price increase in the nearest days," it said.

At the same time prices are not expected to rise substantially due to stocks remaining high, and a rise of imports is expected ahead of a decrease of the customs import tariff to $165 per tonne from $220 from May 1, IKAR said.

08.05.09

All viewing: 88
Discuss