Wheat buying at Ukraine’s Black Sea ports has nearly stopped as demand shifts westward

Export purchase prices for wheat delivered to Ukraine’s Black Sea ports were virtually absent last week as maritime grain exports remained suspended. At the same time, new logistics routes have begun to emerge, supporting grain demand in the country’s western regions.

According to market sources, traders have stepped up purchases of milling wheat at elevators in western Ukraine by arranging rail shipments to the Romanian port of Constanța. Current elevator bids stand at UAH 7,000–7,200/ton for milling wheat and UAH 6,000–6,700/ton for feed wheat.

Meanwhile, wheat prices delivered to the Danube ports fell by UAH 500–800/ton over the week. Bids for milling wheat declined to UAH 8,200–8,900/ton ($160–175/ton), while feed wheat dropped to UAH 7,900–8,200/ton ($155–160/ton). Persistently low water levels on the Danube have reduced vessel loading capacity to 50–70%, further increasing logistics costs.

Despite a strong harvest campaign and an improved wheat production outlook in Ukraine, logistics remain the key factor shaping domestic prices. Rail deliveries to Constanța have provided some support for milling wheat demand in western Ukraine, although the bulk of the country’s export volumes still depends on the operation of Black Sea ports.

Tags: Ukraine, export, wheat