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Full impact of Russian grain duties to come next season

  • Spanish Market: Agriculture
  • 15/02/21

The full effect of export duties on Russian grains is unlikely to be felt until the next marketing year, when shipments out of the country could fall significantly, experts told participants of an online conference in Moscow last week.

The Russian government's export duties for the grains sector were launched today, starting with a €25/t ($30.33/t) levy on wheat shipments, which will be raised to €50/t from 1 March. Similar duties for corn and barley exports are due to follow from mid-March.

But these fixed duties are set to be replaced by floating tariffs from 2 June and into the new 2021-22 marketing year from July. And with the launch of the floating duties coinciding with tighter regulatory measures on grain quality, it is then that the full impact of the new levies for exports are likely to be properly felt by the market, guests were told at the conference held by Russia's Institute for Agricultural Market Studies.

The measures will have a restrictive impact not only on Russia's export potential, but also the development of the country's agricultural sector overall, with small and medium-sized farmers likely to struggle the most with the new compliance procedures for grain quality checks, the general director of Agrozan Commodites, Sabina Sodikova, said.

The imminent export duties will begin to disincentivise production of the crops most affected by the measures from next season, Russian Grain Union vice-president Alexander Korbut said. This could lead to a long-term reduction in wheat planted area particularly and have a knock-on effect on other Russian markets as producers' profit margins narrow, he said.

Russia is expected to export about 39mn t of wheat during the continuing 2020-21 marketing year to 30 June, according to the latest projections from the US Department of Agriculture, up from 34.5mn in 2019-20 and 35.9mn in 2018-19. This comes after the country's production this season is estimated to have turned out its second-highest level on record, at 85.3mn t.


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14/03/25

Australia frozen boxed beef: Processing recovers

Australia frozen boxed beef: Processing recovers

Dalby, 14 March (Argus) — Many processors in southeast Queensland are focused on recovering lost production after Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Trading across beef trim and most cuts was subdued as potential trade tariffs weigh on markets, and second-quarter negotiations continue between Australian processors and Asian customers. The Port of Brisbane and all processors in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales (NSW) have resumed trading and restarted cattle processing. They lost processing days because of the cyclone's landfall, power outages, container shortages, labour mobility constraints, and limited shipping availability. Processors are scheduling extra weekend shifts and prioritizing grain-fed orders to reduce feedlot backlogs. They are also taking stock rather than offering volumes of some products, such as Australian 65CL frozen beef, because of limited unsold volumes. Cow prices at Queensland's major saleyards, Roma and Dalby, fell because of lower demand for grassfed cattle. Cows weighing 500-600kg at the Roma store sale sold at an average of 276A¢/kg. The lower demand is expected to be short-lived, especially as southern processors are already sourcing cows from Queensland paddocks. US demand continues to lead most lean trim prices, but sales to Canadian importers emerged this week, including some loin sales. This is in response to US tariffs, with a significant movement by Canadians to boycott all US-manufactured products, including beef, market participants said. Australia's competitive prices compared with US domestic beef are also making it an attractive option for Canadian consumers. The Australian 85CL frozen beef price fell by A$0.19/kg to A$9.42/kg. Bids, offers, and trades ranged from A$9.20/kg to A$9.94/kg. Offers fell below A$10.00/kg for the first time in a few weeks. The Australian 100-day grainfed navel end brisket price rose by A$0.52/kg to A$9.98/kg, offsetting the previous week's decline. Bids, offers, and trades ranged from A$9.51/kg to A$10.20/kg. This cut is being sold to Japan because of peak season demand for thin slice. The Australian 100-day grainfed chuck roll price rose by A$0.18/kg to A$12.14/kg. Bids, offers, and trades ranged in A$11.30-12.67/kg, with Korean buyers accounting for most of the volume. Chuck roll and navel end brisket are two cuts that US processors export in large quantities to Asia. Market participants say that any further trade barriers with China could divert these cuts to other countries in southeast Asia. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Açúcar: Mudança tributária abre espaço diplomático


13/03/25
13/03/25

Açúcar: Mudança tributária abre espaço diplomático

Sao Paulo, 13 March (Argus) — A isenção das importações de açúcar no Brasil é avaliada como uma tentativa de demonstrar aos Estados Unidos disposição em realizar acordos comerciais com o país, após o governo norte-americano sinalizar a possibilidade de aumentar as tarifas sobre alguns produtos brasileiros . Ao retirar as tarifas sobre o açúcar, o Brasil abre espaço para negociar a possibilidade de manutenção das tarifas de etanol, de acordo com Renato Cunha, presidente da Associação dos Produtores de Açúcar, Etanol e Bioenergia das regiões Norte e Nordeste (NovaBio). Etanol e açúcar são mercados correlatos no Brasil e as negociações dos dois costumam estar interligadas. Ambos são derivados da cana-de-açúcar e a produção de um produto ocorre em detrimento do outro. O governo brasileiro anunciou em 6 de março a eliminação dos impostos para importações de itens considerados essenciais, como o açúcar, milho, azeite, café e óleo de soja, com o intuito de reduzir os preços dos alimentos, em meio à aceleração da inflação. No caso do açúcar, o efeito sobre a inflação tende a ser limitado. O Brasil – maior produtor e exportador mundial de açúcar – é autossuficiente na produção do adoçante e as importações representam volumes mínimos no mercado. O Brasil exportou cerca de 33,5 milhões de t em 2024, alta de 23,8pc em comparação com 2023, a partir de uma produção de 42,4 milhões de t na safra 2023-24, de acordo com a Unica. Vantagens competitivas do açúcar brasileiro Mesmo que a isenção de tarifas para importar açúcar – que antes eram de até 14pc – facilite a abertura de novos mercados e crie eventuais oportunidades para os consumidores brasileiros, o produto nacional ainda é mais barato, pelos custos de produção mais baixos em relação a outros países. Os custos para produzir açúcar no Brasil são de aproximadamente 15¢/lb (equivalente a R$1,92/kg), enquanto na Tailândia – segundo maior exportador de açúcar – eles estão próximos de 21,5¢/lb, segundo participantes de mercado. Na Índia e Austrália, terceiro e quarto maiores exportadores, os custos são de aproximadamente 22,4¢/lb e 18,3¢/lb, respectivamente. Para que haja uma redução efetiva dos preços do açúcar, é necessária uma revisão nos custos de toda a cadeia produtiva até as gôndolas do mercado, disse José Guilherme Nogueira, presidente da Organização de Associações de Produtores de Cana do Brasil (Orplana). Para Nogueira, é importante se atentar a fatores além da produção, como custos de frete e seguro, áreas passíveis de atuação do governo. Como a produção é suficiente para o consumo nacional e há um grande volume excedente, o açúcar brasileiro acaba sendo majoritariamente exportado, sem o mercado externo representar efetivamente uma concorrência para o consumidor brasileiro. O preço do açúcar cristal branco registrou uma média de R$155,3/ saca de 50kg em janeiro - ou $24,9/sc na paridade de exportação, com a cotação média do dólar norte-americano a R$6,02 – segundo o indicador do Centro de Estudos Avançados em Economia Aplicada (CEPEA/Esalq). Em janeiro de 2024, os preços no mercado nacional estavam R$145,04/sc, em média, e $29,5/sc, considerando uma taxa cambial média de R$4,91. Isso mostra que mesmo com o dólar mais alto neste ano, o mercado doméstico de açúcar segue remunerando mais que o mercado externo, em comparação com o mesmo período no ano passado. Por Maria Albuquerque Envie comentários e solicite mais informações em feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . Todos os direitos reservados.

Australia’s cattle herd to remain at 30mn head in 2025


13/03/25
13/03/25

Australia’s cattle herd to remain at 30mn head in 2025

Sydney, 13 March (Argus) — Australia's cattle herd is expected to remain broadly unchanged from the previous year in June, while record beef production is forecast in the 2025 calendar year, according to Meat and Livestock Australia projections. The cattle herd is expected to shrink slightly to 30.1mn head in June 2025 from 30.6mn head in June 2024, partly because of high slaughter rates and cattle turn off — finished cattle sent for processing or export — in southern states. MLA estimates the national herd will continue to drop from its June 2023 size, and further declines are expected in the coming years as turn off increases to manage carrying capacity, which is the stock level that can be supported by pastures over time. The June 2027 herd is pegged at 28.8mn head, 6pc below June 2023. Beef production is set to reach a new record high of 2.6mn t carcass weight equivalent (cwe) in the 2025 calendar year, breaking the previous record in 2024, and supported by high slaughter rates. Cattle slaughter is forecast to rise by 3pc on the year to 8.5mn head in 2025. Live exports are forecast to rise to 803,000 head in 2025, as the late onset of the northern wet season supported cattle supply . Dryer seasonal conditions in southern states are expected to support cattle turn off into June. A dry outlook for March-May 2025 could lift the number of cattle sent to live export, feedlots, or for processing in central Queensland, despite a mostly favourable 2024-25 northern wet season so far. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) forecast the chance of rainfall exceeding the median rainfall in March-May to be less than half for most of central and northern Queensland, although more recent modelling is slightly more favourable. Further, much of Queensland's grazing areas received at least 25mm in the week to 12 March, according to BoM data. By Edward Dunlop Australia Cattle Industry forecasts unit 2025 2024 y-o-y ± y-o-y % Herd Size (30 June) 000 head 30,145 30,561 -416 -1 Cattle slaughter 000 head 8,535 8,304 231 3 Beef production '000t cwt 2,624 2,571 53 2 Live exports 000 head 803 747 56 7 Beef exports '000t cwe 2,035 1,972 63 3 - MLA Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Brazil refinery to produce fuel from eucalypt


11/03/25
11/03/25

Brazil refinery to produce fuel from eucalypt

Sao Paulo, 11 March (Argus) — Petrobras-controlled Riograndense refinery successfully conclude tests to produce fuels from eucalyptus biomass in Brazil's southern Rio Grande do Sul state. The refinery used a bio-oil from eucalyptus biomass and converted it in fractions of fuel gas, LPG, components to produce gasoline and marine fuel with renewable content and others. The bio-oil came from industrial company Vallourec's forest unit in southeastern Minas Gerais state. The test reveals the possibility of using wood and other forestry residues as feedstocks for products usually coming from a fossil origin, said Petrobras's technology, engineer and innovation director Renata Baruzzi. Petrobras intends to transform Riograndense refinery into the first oil plant to produce 100pc renewable fuels in the world, according to Petrobras' chief executive Magda Chambriard. The efforts are part of Petrobras' BioRefino program, which will invest almost $1.5bn to generate sustainable fuels as of 2029. Riograndense refinery is also controlled by Brazilian companies Ultra Group and Braskem petrochemical. By Maria Albuquerque Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

India's Feb vegoil imports at lowest since May 2020


11/03/25
11/03/25

India's Feb vegoil imports at lowest since May 2020

Kyiv, 11 March (Argus) — India's vegetable oil imports in February fell to their lowest monthly volume imported since May 2020, according to the latest data from the Solvent Extractors' Association of India (SEAI). Imports in February declined to 899,565t, from 1.03mn t in January and 965,852t a year earlier. Total stocks as of 1 March amounted to 1.87mn t, declining by 302,000t from 2.18mn t on 1 February, because of lower imports. Higher premiums for palm oil have reduced both imports and consumption of the product in recent months, leading to a sharp increase in the use of of soybean oil and sunflower oil, SEAI said. The combined share of sunflower oil (SFO) and soybean oil (SBO) in India's imports increased to 57pc in the 2024-25 marketing year (November-October) from 34pc a year earlier, while palm oil's share decreased to 43pc from 66pc a year ago. About 284,000t of SBO was received at Indian ports in February and 1.56mn t in November-February, more than double the 664,000t volume imported in the same four-month period a year earlier. India's SFO purchases totalled about 228,000t in February, down from nearly 288,000t in January, while total SFO imports in the first four months of the 2024-25 marketing year reached 1.12mn t, up from about 907,000t a year earlier. Meanwhile, imports of palm oil — comprising crude and refined products — rebounded slightly to about 374,000t in February, compared with just 257,000t imported in January and about 489,000t a year earlier. Overall palm oil imports in the first four months of the 2024-25 season reached 1.99mn t, sharply down from 3.04mn t a year earlier. India imported 4.8mn t of vegetable oils in November-February, up by 4pc from the 4.64mn t imported in the same period last season. By Kristin Yavorska Indian vegetable oil imports t Palm oil (crude and refined) Soybean oil Sunflower oil Non-edible oils Total Nov-24 841,993 407,648 340,660 37,341 1,627,642 Dec-24 500,175 420,651 264,836 45,764 1,231,426 Jan-25 275,241 444,026 288,284 41,614 1,049,165 Feb-25 373,549 283,737 228,275 14,004 899,565 Total Nov 2024-Oct-25 1,990,958 1,556,062 1,122,055 138,723 4,807,798 Total Nov 2023-Oct-24 9,015,573 3,440,803 3,506,194 272,244 16,234,814 — SEAI Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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