Source: APKinform (Ukraine)
According to statistical data, the export of corn from Moldova for the first 6 months of 2024 is estimated at 264 thousand tons, which is 70% of the export for the same period last year (more than 378 thousand tons). At the same time, in each month of the first half of 2024, the volume of grain exports was lower than in the same months of previous years, reports bani.md.
“This development can be explained by the fact that producers are expecting a small harvest in 2024 due to the extreme drought. In addition, exports were high at the end of 2023, while the stocks of producers and traders have decreased significantly,” said Iurie Rija, Managing Director of the Association of Exporters and Importers of Agricultural and Grain Products Agrocereale.
The primary destination of Moldovan corn exports in the first half of this year was Romania, as this country is currently the best transportation hub for grain exports from Moldova to European countries. The share of corn exports to Romania is 36.5% of total exports, which corresponds to 96.5 thousand tons in absolute terms.
Romania is followed by Turkey with a volume of 39 thousand tons, and about the same amount was exported to Switzerland (37.3 thousand tons).
“It is also important to mention that the Republic of Moldova has quite a large number of corn processors – ethanol producers. According to the data presented, in the period 2021 – June 2024, a total of 138.5 million liters of alcohol and 73.3 thousand tons of DDGS were exported. To produce this amount of alcohol, according to experts’ estimates, about 374.3 thousand tons of corn must be consumed”, – Yu Rizha added.