Ukrainian corn exports to the EU between the start of the marketing year on July 1, 2018 and January 6 more than doubled on the year to 5.84 million mt, EU Crops Market Observatory data showed Monday.
Ukraine remains the number one exporter to the EU, ahead of Brazil in second place, which exported 3.6 million mt over the same period, down 14.1% on the year.
The EU is expected to import around 23 million mt of corn this marketing year, 5 million mt more on the year.
Lower domestic corn yields due to the prolonged heat and drought this summer are the main reasons for the jump.
Market participants are expecting EU buying interest to accelerate from January onward as stocks are consumed in December.
