Main Navigation

• Home

• Crop Research

• Varieties

• Supply Chain

• Markets

• Education

• Exports

• Food & Nutrition

• Environment

• Industrial

Submenu

Markets

Latest IGC Estimates

Wheat
In its latest report the International Grains Council (IGC) raised its estimate of world wheat production in 2008/09 by 5Mt to a record 150Mt.
The world wheat consumption forecast has been revised upwards by 2Mt to 632Mt in 2008/09.  Demand from the animal sector is projected to be 102.4Mt, 13.4Mt higher than 2007/08 and above the three year average. 
The EU is likely to use more wheat instead of higher-priced maize and imported sorghum and it is forecast demand will rise by 6.4Mt, to 54.9Mt in 2008/09. 

Global food use of wheat is projected to expand by 1%, to a record 449.5Mt and new ethanol plants in Canada and the EU will lift world industrial use of wheat by 10% to 16.4Mt.
World wheat trade is estimated at 108.8Mt in 2008/09, an increase of 3.8Mt from the previous year, mainly due to higher demand in Asia and Africa.
The net result is a 19Mt recovery in ending stocks to 131Mt (21% of forecast demand)

Barley
Global barley production is forecast 12.5Mt higher than in 2007/08 to 147.6Mt, due to a greater planted area and better crop prospects in the main producing regions.
Global barley consumption is forecast to rise by 4%, to 145.2Mt in 2008/09, with feed use increasing by 4Mt to 100.4Mt.  Higher consumption in the EU for malting and ethanol use will account for a 0.4Mt rise, to 9.7Mt. 
Ending stocks are forecst to revoer by 2.4Mt to 22.7Mt.

World barley trade is expected to be 15.9Mt in 2008/09, 10% higher than 2007/08 and close to the five year average with China forecast to increase feed barley imports by more than 1Mt.

Maize
World maize production is expected to see a 14Mt decline in 2008/09 to 763Mt due to a reduction in planted area and poor establishment conditions in the US.
World maize consumption is estimated to be 13Mt higher in 2008/09 at 786Mt.  The increase in consumption is entirely due to the 30Mt rise in industrial demand.  Its feed use is forecast to decline by 3% to 472Mt.  World maize stocks are forecast to fall 23Mt to 25 year low of 95Mt.

Global trade of Maize is expected to decline by 9.2Mt to 90.3Mt in 2008/09.  The EU is projected to decrease imports of Maize by 7.5Mt to 5Mt as result of its reduced competitiveness against other feed ingredients.