Flour trade will fall to a three-year low – IGC

World wheat flour trade in the MY 2024/25 will fall to 15.3 million tonnes, the lowest in three years, world-grain.com reports, citing data from the International Grains Council (IGC).

Compared to the previous season, the decline will be 10%.

The main reasons:

• Reduced imports in Iraq due to increased domestic wheat stocks.
• Reduced purchases in Africa: deliveries to sub-Saharan countries will fall to 2.4 million tonnes (200 thousand tonnes less than forecast in October).

Afghanistan is forecast to have almost the same consumption as the previous year, importing about 3 million tonnes in 2024-25.

Turkey, the largest flour exporter, is expected to reduce supplies by 33%, to 3.8 million tonnes (a 10-year low). The reason is restrictions on wheat imports at the beginning of the season.

In March 2025, Turkey lifted restrictions on wheat imports, allowing duty-free imports under the flour export scheme.

Kazakhstan reduced shipments to Afghanistan (to 900 thousand tons in six months). The total export volume this season will reach a seven-year maximum of 3 million tons

Russia, according to the Agroexport Center, increased flour exports by 3% in 2024 (to 1.2 million tons).

In the new season, the pace has slowed down: 400 thousand tons were shipped in 5 months compared to 475 thousand tons a year ago. The main buyers are Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Iraq, China and Kazakhstan.

In 2025/26, the IGC expects a moderate increase in flour trade – to 16.1 million tons.

Turkey will increase exports after the restrictions are lifted, but may return to previous volumes.

Tags: flour