Global wheat flour trade falls to five-year low — IGC

Global wheat flour trade in 2025/26 fell to 15.1 mln tons in wheat equivalent, the lowest level in five years, according to the International Grains Council (IGC).

The estimate was 900 thsd tons below the March forecast. The main reason was weaker-than-expected demand from Iraq and Sudan, both of which are rebuilding domestic milling capacity and shifting back toward grain imports instead of buying finished flour.

Iraq’s flour imports fell by nearly 80% y/y to 300 thsd tons, the lowest level in 21 years. As a result, Middle East flour imports declined for a third consecutive season to a 14-year low of 1.8 mln tons. Imports into sub-Saharan Africa dropped by 33% to 2.2 mln tons.

On the export side, Egypt recorded the sharpest decline, with shipments falling to 635 thsd tons from 1.94 mln tons a season earlier. Turkey’s exports declined for a second consecutive year to 3.4 mln tons, the lowest since 2012/13. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan increased shipments to 2.95 mln tons and Argentina to 748 thsd tons.

For 2026/27, the IGC expects only a marginal recovery in global flour trade to 15.3 mln tons, which is 900 thsd tons below its previous forecast. Demand from Iraq is expected to remain historically low, while Turkey and Egypt are forecast to partly recover their exports.

Tags: wheat, flour, global market, IGC