According to the latest quarterly report from the International Grains Council (IGC), the global wheat flour trade will grow 9% in the 2021-22 marketing year.

While the total projected 14.7 million tonnes (wheat equivalent) is about 200,000 tonnes lower than IGC's previous forecast in July, it still far exceeds the projected 13.5 million tonnes sold in 2020-2021.

Last year saw the lowest trade turnover since 2013-14, when 13.2 million tons of wheat flour were sold. According to the IGC, the flour trade in 2020-2021 was seriously hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic and related transportation problems.

The IGC said that one caveat to the 9% increase projected this year is that "the recovery depends in part on alleviating the logistical problems that were observed in 2020-2021, especially the shortage of shipping containers and the resulting high costs."...

After four months of the current marketing year, many of these logistical challenges persist.

The IGC's forecast for this year includes an estimated increase in Iraqi imports to 2.7 million tons (up from 1.9 million last year), "following a weaker domestic harvest, although actual trade data for July shows little change."

Turkey is also a major exporter to sub-Saharan Africa, IGC said, with shipments to the region at the start of the season increasing only marginally from the same period last year.

Turkey is projected to once again become the world leader in flour exports with 4.90 million tons, up from 4.53 million last year.

The council said Afghanistan, which is at the epicenter of extreme turmoil after the United States withdrew its military in late August, will play an important role in the flour trade this year.

“As the second largest importer in the world, Afghan purchases will be one of the key factors determining the overall level of world trade,” the IGC said. for a smaller domestic harvest ”.

Kazakhstan's export data for July confirms a decline in supplies to Afghanistan, and IGC expects imports to the country to fall to 2 million tons this year from 2.49 million tons in 2020-2021.

According to forecasts, Kazakhstan will take the second place in exports after Turkey with 2.15 million tons, which is slightly lower than a year ago.

Tripoli