Country News
Iraq: Barley plantings are down by more than half this season due to continued instability caused by the Islamic State, reports Reuters. The agriculture ministry has indicated that government-controlled Gwer district (bordering Islamic State territory) has left around 50,000 hectares of land unsown.
South Africa: South African farmers may plant 3.3 percent less corn in 2014/15 due to a drop in global prices, according to Bloomberg News. The targeted area this year is 2.6 million hectares compared to the 2.69 million hectares planted last year.
Russia: Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich stated that Russia could potentially implement a full grain export ban if the current slate of informal trade restrictions don’t have the desired impact of stabilizing domestic prices, according to Reuters.
Ukraine: Ukrainian corn exports rose by 785 percent to total 1 MMT in 2014 compared to the amount exported in 2013, reports Reuters. This uptick in grain shipments has made Ukraine the world’s second largest corn exporter after the U.S.