Wheat Tax Would not stopped Imports to Southern India, said Millers.

Flour millers in South India will continue importing wheat from Australia and the Black Sea region even with the 10% duty imposed this week as its cheaper than locally grown supplies. Imports may reach as much as 2 million tonnes in 2017-18 with 80 to 85% likely coming from Australia and the remainder from the Black Sea. Importers will initially try to sell 250,000 tonnes to 300,000 tonnes of wheat stored near Tuticorin Port in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. India is seeking to rebuild stockpiles that plunged 44% in March from a year earlier to 9.43 million tonnes. India has been purchasing high-protein grain from Australia, Russia and Ukraine.

Japan seeks to buy 120,000 tonne feed wheat via tender.

Japan Ministry of Agriculture said it would buy 120,000 tonnes of feed wheat to be loaded by July31 and arrive in Japan by Sept. 29, via a simultaneous buy and sell auction that will be held on April5. The tender is usually conducted weekly, but the ministry skipped the tender this week due to an adjustment at the end of the fiscal year that will end on March31. Japan buys and sells its feed wheat via simultaneous buy and sell auction, in which end-users and importers specify the origin, price and quantity of grain, allowing millers to meet their varied needs for the feed grain.

CBOT wheat prices were pressured by weather factor.

CBOT wheat prices declined (-3.44%). In the spot market, the supply price for US wheat (April delivery) lost USD 6. Despite the information on winter wheat conditions worsening in the largest producing states of the USA–Oklahoma and Kansas, the wheat futures continued to go down. The prices were pressured by a weather factor–a rain forecast in the regions of winter wheat production in the USA, which will refill soil moisture reserves.

Govt imposes 10% import duty on wheat with immediate effect.

Govt has imposed a 10% customs duty on import of wheat with immediate effect to restrict fall in their prices following a bumper crop in the country this year. Govt had scrapped the 10% import duty on wheat as supply in wholesale markets had dried up and prices had hit a record high. In the benchmark Indore market, wheat was sold lower than the MSP. After the removal of the duty in December, imports of wheat rise to a record 5 million tonnes in the current financial year.

Syria gets 50,000 tonnes of Russian wheat in aid.

Syria has received 50,000 tonnes of Russian wheat as humanitarian aid. Russian govt said in November their country plans to send around 100,000 tonnes of wheat as aid to Syria. A deal struck in October for Syria to buy 1 million tonnes of Russian wheat with little known firm Zernomir is in jeopardy.

Govt to spend Rs225 billion on wheat procurement in Pakistan.

Govt decided to purchase Rs225 billion worth of 7.05 million tonnes wheat, allow export of 200,000 tonnes of sugar and to pay one-month salary to Pakistan Steel Mill employees. The decisions were taken at a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet presided over by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

Wheat arrivals in Punjab, Haryana likely in 10 days.

Fresh arrivals of wheat in the key producing states of northwest India-Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are likely to start in the next 10-15 days. In these states, wheat harvesting was in the initial phase, and the new crop was expected to arrive by mid-April. Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh account for more than two third of India overall wheat production.

Wheat procurement gathers motion and govt buys 389,792 tonnes.

FCI has procured 389,792 tonnes higher than around 376,000 tonne procured a year ago. Around 389,000 tonne, almost all of the procured grain has come from Madhya Pradesh. Farmers in Madhya Pradesh are choosing to sell their crop to government agencies as market prices have now fallen below the MSP of offered by the Centre. In Gujarat, about 480 tonnes of wheat has been procured so far, while in Rajasthan is at 312 tonne.

Russian wheat prices fall on weaker demand from Egypt, Turkey.

Russian wheat export prices fell due to lower demand from Egypt and Turkey. Turkey put purchases of wheat, maize and sunflower from Russia on hold from mid-March. Russia exported 26.9 million tonnes of grain between July1 and March22, down 1.8% from a year earlier including 20.6 million tonnes of wheat. Domestic prices for third-class wheat, excluding delivery, fell in the European part of Russia. (Source: Reuters)