Grain silos and warehouses reportedly were hit during successive Russian drone attacks on the Danube River port of Reni located near the border with Romania. The port is still operating. 

According to a Wall Street Journal report the US is engaged in discussions with Turkey, Ukraine and neighbouring countries to develop alternative export routes for Ukrainian grain to increase capacity to 4Mt of grain monthly through the Danube River by October. The US is reportedly considering various options, including military measures, to safeguard ships traveling to and from Ukraine’s Danube ports. 

A Hong Kong flagged container ship left the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Odesa on Wednesday morning, the government said, using what it has described as a new temporary corridor for merchant ships. The ship had been stuck at the port since the start of Russia’s invasion.

The Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Crop Report, for the week ending 15 August, noted varied rainfall across the province during the past week with most precipitation recorded in northwest and central regions. Harvesting of 2023-24 winter wheat reached 67 percent complete and spring wheat 5 percent complete, with fieldwork centred on the central region. Spring wheat crops were seen in generally fair/good condition, similar to the previous week. 

Brazil’s grain exporters association ANEC estimated that August maize exports will reach 9.0Mt, compared to 6.9Mt in August 2022, soybeans at 7.8Mt, up from 5.1Mt and soymeal at 2.1Mt, up from 1.7Mt. 

China’s Ag Ministry called for more measures to protect crops after warning recent floods in its northeast grain belt could worsen diseases and infestations. It said so far diseases and pest infestations were relatively light with no significant impact on grain production. But it warned the flooding could exacerbate the prevalence of diseases and pest infestations.

The Egyptian Ministry of Supply has signed a US$500M agreement with UAE-based agribusiness Al Dahra and the Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX) to finance milling wheat imports in five annual tranches of $100M. Al Dahra will supply Egypt with imported wheat as of this year. 

Jordan’s state grain buyer reportedly purchased 60,000 tonnes of hard milling wheat from optional origins at $295/t c&f for Jan shipment.

Australia

Local markets presented another day where eastern Australian bids for wheat and barley were largely unchanged. WA current crop wheat activity continued, ASW1 trading at A$380/t FIS for volume on Clear Grain Exchange. 

Lineups data show that August is building with 3.03Mt of total grain on the stem, up from 2.91Mt last week. Wheat is currently at 2.17Mt up slightly from 2.15Mt, barley is unchanged at 302kt, canola is at 427kt up from 369kt and sorghum is at 130kt up from 80kt. On the ports congestion front, we have noticed an increase in wait times across the board, including Albany, Esperance, Geraldton and Port Kembla. Kwinana was the exception seeing a decrease by 2 days. There are currently 13 vessels anchored and 10 loading at Australian ports.