Ask the Experts
What’s your expectation regarding the pace of grain shipments by rail this season?
In the 2014/2015 it’s expected that the overall quantities of grain shipped by rail will rise from 18.2 million tonnes to 19.3 million tonnes. (In the 2011/2012 season the figure was 24.5 million tonnes, and in the 2008/2009 season, 22 million tonnes).
What level do you think grain exports will rise to this season?
Grain exports for 2014/2015, including flour and pulses, could reach 32.5 million tonnes, compared to just 26 million tonnes in 2013/2014 — which would be a record figure. The previous maximum was set in 2011/2012, at 28.4 million tonnes.
How much grain was being shipped through deep-water ports in January?
Grain shipped through deep-water ports in January totaled 996,000 tonnes, as against 1,460,000 tonnes in December 2014.
How could prices for crops grown on black earth sites change in the near future?
If we factor in the introduction of export taxes for wheat (15% of the value plus 7.5 euros, but not less than 35 euros per tonne), the major grain producers in central areas are expecting a gentle drop in sales prices for the first quarter of 2015.
