Grain Exports From Rouen Fall as Algeria Cuts Wheat Buying

-- Grain exports from the French port of Rouen, Europe’s biggest wheat-shipping hub, declined 29 percent from a week earlier on reduced Algerian demand.

Shipments totaled 114,223 metric tons in the week through Jan. 23, against 160,349 tons in the prior period, the Seine River port wrote in an e-mailed report today. Wheat cargoes fell to 76,485 tons from 126,900 tons. Barley shipments, including feed and malting varieties, rose 37 percent to 37,738 tons.

Algeria was the top single destination for grain, taking 29,785 tons of wheat. Still, purchases from the North African country were down from 116,600 tons a week earlier. Shipments increased within the European Union, with Cyprus taking 21,738 tons of feed barley, and the U.K., Ireland, Spain, Italy and Portugal each buying some French grain.

Rouen accounted for 41 percent of France’s grain exports by sea in 2010-11, exceeding the 17 percent share for La Pallice on the Bay of Biscay and Dunkirk on the North Sea with 11 percent of the total, according to port figures.

Rouen grain loadings by destination, in metric tons:

                     Jan. 17-23
Soft wheat
Algeria                29,785
Cameroon                8,750
Ireland                 6,050
Morocco                27,500
U.K.                    4,400

Feed barley
Cyprus                  21,738
Italy                    4,500
Spain                    7,700

Malting barley
Portugal                 3,800

To contact the reporter on this story: Whitney McFerron in London at wmcferron1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Claudia Carpenter at ccarpenter2@bloomberg.net