HAMBURG, GERMANY — EU wheat exports, plus Britain, are expected to reach a four-year high of 31.8 million tonnes, Reuters reported.

Record shipments are expected from France, which has benefited from new demand from China. Germany has made major sales to Iran and Africa.

Export restrictions in Russia and the Black Sea may make exporters more cautious about selling wheat from those countries, a European trader told Reuters.

“But available export supplies in Germany and the Baltic region are looking pretty tight after recent export sales,” the trader said.

France is positioned to provide any last-minute demand for lower protein wheat. French soft wheat exports outside of the EU in 2019-20 are estimated at 13.2 million tonnes, higher than the record 12.9 million tonnes shipped in 2010-11.

The nation has shipped 1.3 million tonnes of soft wheat to China so far in 2019-20 and estimates for the full season range between 1.5 million and 1.7 million tonnes.

China has bought unprecedented volumes from Baltic States, Reuters said, which have shipped about 600,000 tonnes to the Asian nation.

The coronavirus pandemic has hurt end of season demand. Wheat importing countries in the Middle East and Africa are feeling the impact from a collapse in oil prices and tourism.

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