IGC data on flour trade are in wheat equivalent. The new export record now indicated for 2016-17 was equal to nearly 250 million cwts of flour.
With an increase of 300,000 tonnes in its flour exporting prospects, Turkey boosted its leadership among nations in this trade. Turkey’s flour exports in 2016-17 were forecast by the IGC at 4.95 million tonnes in wheat equivalent, or nearly 80 million cwts of flour. Except for U.S. shipments approaching 100 million cwts to provide food relief to Europe as World War II ended, this would rank Turkey as the largest flour exporter in history.
Turkey’s shipments this season would be only slightly ahead of 4.94 million tonnes in 2015-16 and compare with 3.531 million shipped in 2014-15.
Turkey has been the world leader in flour exporting since 2011-12 when its shipments first exceeded those of Kazakhstan. In 2016-17 Turkey will ship 65% more flour than the former Soviet satellite, which is projected to export 3 million tonnes in wheat equivalent, the same as in the prior year and compared with 2.385 million in 2014-15.
Based on the IGC estimates, Turkey will ship a third of all flour exports in 2016-17 and Kazakhstan will account for 20%, thus giving the two countries a market share of more than 50%.
In commenting on the record flour exports this season, the IGC said business was “underpinned by continued solid demand in Asia.” With imports for Asia forecast to reach 7.7 million tonnes of wheat equivalent, against 7.4 million in 2015-16, “Asia accounts for about half the global total,” the Council commented.
Source: International Grains Council
Import Leaders
Iraq and Afghanistan, two nations where domestic milling industries are disrupted by a range of wars and political conflicts, stand as the leading flour importers in 2016-17. The Council showed Afghanistan in the lead with prospective imports of 2.2 million tonnes in wheat equivalent, against 2.14 million in the preceding season and 1.816 million in 2014-15. The current forecast for Afghanistan was increased 400,000 tonnes over the initial figured compiled by the Council last May and probably represents a new peak in flour imports by any country, at least in recent years. This gain mainly accounted for the rise in the global outlook.
Iraq easily held on to second place even though its flour imports were expected to be 200,000 tonnes less than indicated a quarter earlier. That war-torn nation’s flour imports were now projected at 2.1 million tonnes in 2016-17, against 2 million in the preceding season and 1.488 million in 2015-16. Even with the reduced forecast, Iraq’s flour imports would set a record for that nation.
Uzbekistan is the only other nation where flour imports were forecast above 1 million tonnes, at 1.15 million tonnes. This compares with 1.2 million in 2015-16 and 1.137 million in 2014-15.
Other ranking importers included several nations in sub-Saharan Africa, such as Sudan at 850,000 tonnes of wheat equivalent, and Angola at 640,000 tonnes.
Syria and Brazil were the only two countries projected to import 500,000 tonnes.
The European Union once was the major exporter of wheat flour. Its outgo in 2016-17 was projected by the Council at 940,000 tonnes, the same as in 2015-16.
For the United States, the Council saw little change in exports, forecast for this season at 435,000 tonnes of wheat equivalent (nearly 7 million cwts), against 440,000 in the prior crop year. U.S. imports were forecast at 300,000 tonnes, compared with 355,000 in 2015-16.
