Category: Freight

Zero duties extended: Russia will keep export duties at zero for wheat, barley, and corn from January 28 to February 3, the third straight week for wheat. Mixed price action: Wheat and barley indicative prices eased, while corn strengthened on tighter supply-demand fundamentals. Stable base prices: Ruble-denominated base prices remain unchanged, giving exporters clearer margin…

Bearish sunflower & soybean flows: Russian oil & fat exports fell 12% YoY to 10.8 million tons in 2025, with sunflower oil down 22% and soybean oil also lower, pressuring Black Sea freight demand. Mixed grain outlook: Rostov Region grain exports dropped 19.8% season-to-date, cutting cargo availability, but price corrections and 2026 rebound expectations may…

Logistics Upgrade: Russia’s Export Center will open a temporary storage warehouse near Istanbul in February to streamline Black Sea agricultural exports, especially oilseeds. Strategic Market: Turkey imports around 912,000 tons of Russian sunflower oil annually and leads in sunflower meal purchases at an expected 783,000 tons. Value-Added Services: The facility offers competitive rates, Russian-speaking staff,…

Bullish: Kazakhstan’s lentil exports surged 10.8x since 2021, solidifying its position as a top-5 global supplier and supporting strong export demand. Bullish: Record 2025 legume harvest of 1.1 million tons underpins continued growth in export volumes and freight activity. Bearish: Intensifying competition with established exporters like Canada and Australia may pressure margins and basis levels…

Hungary Emerges as Key Corridor: Ukrainian grain rail exports have pivoted toward Hungary, with flows rising to 58.4 railcars/day in January, making it the dominant route. Alternative Routes Weaken: Rail grain transfers via Slovakia, Poland, and Romania have all declined, led by Slovakia’s 8.1 railcars/day drop to 22.9 railcars/day. Logistics Risk Concentration: The growing reliance…

Ukrainian Port Logistics Weaken as Grain Railcar Unloading Declines Average daily grain railcar unloading at Greater Odesa ports fell to 1,175 units on January 22, down 33 railcars week-on-week. Railcars en route to Greater Odesa ports decreased to 8,337 units, indicating reduced freight flow into Ukraine’s main grain corridor. Danube ports saw a marginal pickup,…

Bearish: Russian grain exports fell 33% year-on-year in early January, with wheat, corn, and barley volumes all sharply lower. Bearish: Number of exporting companies dropped to a five-year low and active ports were nearly halved, exposing severe logistical and financial constraints. Neutral to Bearish: Russian wheat maintains a modest price discount to French and U.S.…

Access Restrictions: From January 2026, vessels with fewer than 10 interim port calls between Ukrainian and Russian ports are blocked from Russian Black Sea terminals. Inspection Costs: Underwater hull checks for ships using Romanian anchorages near Sulina are lengthening wait times and increasing freight disbursement costs. Regional Disparity: Black Sea enforcement is significantly stricter than…

Bullish: Turkey’s wheat import requirement doubling to 7.3 million tonnes in 2025/26 boosts demand for Black Sea exporters, especially Russia and Ukraine. Bearish: A 41% drop in Turkish flour exports and policy-driven constraints erode Turkey’s regional flour competitiveness, opening space for rival suppliers. Bullish: Russia’s pivot to overseas processing facilities supports long-term value-added export growth…

Record Export Value: Russia’s agricultural exports to China surpassed $1 billion in December 2025 for the first time, on volumes of 1.3 million tons. Oilseeds in Focus: Rapeseed oil led shipments at $215 million, with strong flows in seafood and flaxseed reinforcing diversified demand. Logistics Digitization: Continental Farmers Group launched an ERP-based carrier portal to…