UK wheat exports reach highest level since 2008/2009 thanks to weaker sterling

Weaker sterling keeps UK exports afloat
Weaker sterling keeps UK exports afloat

Full season UK wheat exports for 2015/16 reached 2.85Mt, the highest since 2008/09, according to AHDB Cereals recent data release.

Export levels of wheat in June totalled 276Kt, the highest volume exported in that month in 19 years.

This caused full season exports to rise slightly above the 2.75Mt forecasted by Defra in May but was below the top end of some trade expectations.

Total UK barley exports for 2015/16 came to 1.99Mt (Defra forecast 1.9Mt in May), with June’s exports reaching 105Kt.

AHDB
AHDB's graph

Full season barley exports were the highest since 1996/97, when total season exports reached 2.1Mt.

The strong export campaign goes hand in hand with the weakening of the sterling, which made UK grains more competitive.

The high exports are therefore likely to reduce the amount of stock available into the next season and may not be as high as first anticipated earlier in the year.

Weakening sterling

The weakening of the sterling against a number of different currencies including the euro and the US dollar has helped to improve the UK’s export competitiveness.

From the beginning to the end of June, the sterling fell 6% and 7% against the euro and the US dollar respectively.

This weakening of the sterling helped increase the progress of the UK’s export campaign.

It’s likely that the strength of the UK’s recent exports could be maintained in 2016/17.