European Union exports of common wheat from the start of the 2023/24 season in July to November 19 have now reached 11.59 million tonnes, down 19% from 14.29 million tonnes a year earlier, data released by the European committee on Tuesday.

EU barley exports totaled 2.75 million tonnes, down 1% from 2.79 million tonnes in the corresponding period in 2022/23, while EU maize imports were 6.56 million tonnes , or 44% below 11.64 million tons a year earlier.

The Commission explains this decline with the statement that the data for grain exports from Bulgaria have been missing since mid-September, and those concerning Italy's imports and exports have been incomplete for the past two weeks.

Bulgaria is typically among the EU's significant wheat exporters, while Italy is one of the bloc's biggest cereal importers.

The Commission's current figures show that Romania is the largest exporter of common wheat in the EU so far in 2023/24 with 3.15 million tonnes exported, followed by France with 2.52 million, Poland with 1.96 million, Germany with 1.05 million and Lithuania with 996,000. Next is Bulgaria with 937,000 tons - a figure that has remained unchanged in recent months.

EU wheat exports this season have been limited by strong Russian competition, including in Algeria, although strong sales of French wheat to China may boost the pace of EU exports in the coming months.

The top five largest importers of European wheat include: Morocco (15.5%), Nigeria (10.7%), Algeria (8.1%), Egypt (7.3%) and South Africa (5.5%).