The government is likely to fix the domestic sale quota for sugar mills at 2.1-2.2 mln tn for August. In June and July, the Centre had allowed mills to sell 2.1 mln tn and 1.65 mln tn of the sweetener, respectively. The quota will be higher for August than July as we expect an increase in festival season demand ahead of Janmashtami and Raksha Bandhan. In June, the government had asked mills to create a 3-mln-tn buffer stock of the sweetener. It had also fixed a floor price for sale of white sugar by mills at 29 rupees per kg for the ongoing season to help them clear cane arrears, which had topped 230 bln rupees in May.
Govt source says mills exported around 350,000 tn sugar so far.
Mills across the country have exported around 350,000 tn of sugar so far in the ongoing season started October. Around 350,000 tn has already crossed the border. Total export contracts are for around 400,000 tn so far. So, another 50,000 tn is also in the process. The sweetener has been shipped to west Asia, Sri Lanka, and Nepal at a freight-on-board price of nearly $320-$340 per tn. Total sugar exports from the country in 2017-18 (Oct-Sep) are expected to be around 500,000 tn, which is only a fourth of the quantity allocated by the government for the season.
Rapeseed oil production in Russia at a three-year high.
Russian crushers produced 32.5 KMT of rapeseed oil in May 2018 against 32.2 KMT in April 2018 and 23 KMT in May 2017. Even towards the end of the season, the monthly volumes of rapeseed crushing remain steadily higher than a year ago. Overall, rapeseed oil production increased almost 21% in July-May 2017/18, to 351.2 KMT versus 290.6 KMT in the same period last year. Owing to a heavy rapeseed crop in 2017, this season’s rapeseed oil output is still at a three-year high.
Ukraine wheat harvest, exports to fall on drought.
UkrAgroConsult cut its forecast for Ukraine’s 2018/19 crop year wheat harvest and exports due to a severe drought across the country during spring and the first half of summer. The agriculture consultancy reduced its wheat harvest forecast by 3.1 percent to 24.7 million tonnes, and exports to 15.5 million tonnes from 16 million tonnes forecast in June.
Japan lifts temporary ban on Canadian wheat.
Japan lifts temporary ban on Canadian wheat. Japan buys 62,957 tonnes of Canadian food wheat via tender
Drought to force top wheat buyer Egypt to pay more.
A drought that’s hit wheat crops across the Black Sea region and Europe will force top buyer Egypt to pay more for supplies. The cheapest offer tender was more than $14 a metric ton higher than what Egypt’s state run buyer paid in its last purchase. The General Authority for Supply Commodities is seeking wheat for Sept. 1-10 delivery. Benchmark futures traded in Chicago have surged almost 20 percent this year and Paris wheat for December is trading near a record for the contract. Dry weather means Russian production will fall for the first time in six years and output in Ukraine will be lower than expected. GTCS made the lowest offer at $234.26 a ton including freight for Russian wheat. Egypt paid an average $220.25 a ton for 175,000 tons of Russian wheat in the last tender on July 10. The second-lowest offer was from Daewoo at $235.66 a ton, also for Russian grain.
Kuwait may start purchasing Russian wheat.
The relevant authorities of Russia and Kuwait held talks about the possibility of supplying Russian wheat to the State of Kuwait. Russia has just occasionally exported wheat to Kuwait by now: 9.8 KMT in July 2015/16. Russia supplies barley to the Kuwaiti market. Barley shipments totaled 157.9 KMT in July-May 2017/18.
Barley down in Jaipur on low demand from brewers.
Prices of barley fell in Jaipur owing to sluggish demand from malt manufacturers as concern over quality of the domestic stock persisted. In the benchmark Jaipur market, barley was sold for 1,350 rupees per 100 kg, down 10 rupees. Talk that the grain will be imported from Argentina is also creating bearishness in the market. However, limited supply and improved demand from poultry feed sector cushioned the fall in prices.