The export volume of wheat and barley increased in 2023

By: STA Date: 2024. 04. 04. 10:30

The export value and foreign trade assets of cereals were the highest among the 24 agricultural and food product groups in 2023 as well.In 2022, the share of the grain export value of the total agricultural export was 13.2 percent, and in 2023, the ratio deteriorated to 12.7 percent.

(Photo: Pixabay)

The export value of cereals decreased by 1.8 percent, and its volume increased by 19 percent, but the volume and value of imports fell by 44.5 and 36.5 percent, respectively, compared to the level of the base period. The foreign trade asset of cereals rose to 1,182.7 million euros (+29 percent), which accounted for 33.6 percent of the total food foreign trade asset.

In the year under review, a total of 5.7 million tons of grain were sold on foreign markets, of which 3 million tons were wheat, 1.4 million tons of corn and 1.2 million tons of barley

The export volume of corn fell by 30.6 percent, but that of wheat increased by 44.3 percent, double that of barley compared to the 2022 value. The average export price of corn was 9 percent higher, wheat 21 percent and barley 27 percent lower in 2023 than a year earlier. 98.5 percent of the volume of corn exports reached the market in EU member states, but only 86.6 percent of the sales revenue was realized on the internal market, as the seeds were typically predominant in the case of corn exported to third countries. Such target markets were, for example, Russia, Serbia, Ukraine and Belarus. 57.7 percent of corn exports (822.4 thousand tons) went to Italy, which is 25.9 percent less compared to deliveries in 2022. Our other important export markets were Austria (221.5 thousand tons) and Germany (96.1 thousand tons). Compared to the base year, the amount of corn delivered to both countries decreased, Austria by 43.8 percent and Germany by 60.6 percent. Compared to the previous year, Slovakia imported 52.8 thousand tons of corn from Hungary, worth 23.3 million euros, twice as much. 95.2 percent (2.8 million tons) of wheat exports were directed to EU member states in 2023. Italy (1.5 million tons) and Austria (654 thousand tons) were the biggest buyers, as well as Germany (264.8 thousand tons), Slovenia (152.4 thousand tons), and, as a non-EU country, Bosnia and Herzegovina ( 104.9 thousand tons) was also an important export market.

AKI PÁIR