EU grain exports drop 64% at the start of the new season

During the first two weeks of the 2026/27 marketing year, which began on July 1, the European Union exported only 523 thsd tons of grain and grain products, down 64% from the same period last season. The sharpest declines were recorded in exports of soft wheat, barley, and corn.

Soft wheat exports totaled 214.9 thsd tons, down 62% year-on-year. Barley exports fell 75% to 187.4 thsd tons, while corn exports declined 79% to 9.2 thsd tons. At the same time, malt exports increased by 4%, while durum wheat exports reached 15.8 thsd tons, although volumes remained relatively small.

According to the European Commission, the EU exported 23.5 mln tons of soft wheat, 0.8 mln tons of durum wheat, 9.0 mln tons of barley, and 3.0 mln tons of corn during the previous marketing year. The bloc also remained a significant exporter of flour, malt, rye, and oats.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) expects the EU’s grain export potential to decline in the 2026/27 season due to a smaller harvest. Wheat and wheat product exports are forecast at 31.0 mln tons, down from 31.5 mln tons last season. Barley exports are projected to fall to 7.4 mln tons from 8.8 mln tons, while corn exports are expected to decrease to 1.9 mln tons from 2.1 mln tons.

Tags: barley, EU, wheat, corn, export, grain