Ukraine Exports 7.2 Million Tons of Grains, UkrAgroConsult Says

Ukraine exported 7.2 million metric tons of grains between July 1 and the middle of February, UkrAgroConsult said.

Wheat accounted for 2.65 million tons of shipments, of which 60 percent was milling wheat, the Kiev-based researcher said in an e-mailed statement late yesterday. Ukraine fulfilled about 49 percent of its grain-export potential in the period, UkrAgroConsult estimated.

The country could ship out another 2.5 million tons of wheat through June of this year if grain-export quotas were removed, according to the researcher. The government imposed the caps last year in an effort to curb domestic prices for cereals and food.

The restrictions are scheduled to remain in force through March, unless the cabinet decides to limit sales until the current season ends on June 30. Ukrainian grain exports might exceed 7 million tons from February through June if the caps were removed, UkrAgroConsult said.

An extension of the quotas “looks more likely,” the researcher said, pointing to rising domestic wheat and flour prices as “an excuse” to keep the restrictions in place.

(Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-22/ukraine-exports-7-2-million-tons-of-grains-ukragroconsult-says.html)