Category: Freight

Policy push: Kazakhstan has formally requested China to accelerate inspections and expand both eligible regions and product lists for agricultural exports. Operational readiness: Kazakh authorities and companies confirmed they are prepared to meet Chinese phytosanitary and documentation requirements. Logistics impact: Expanded Kazakhstan–China trade could modestly ease competition for Black Sea export capacity over the medium…

Russian wheat exports raised: SovEcon increased its 2025/26 wheat export forecast to 44.6 million tonnes, lifting total grain exports to 52.9 million tonnes. Near-record shipment pace: November and December wheat exports reached 5.1 and 4.2 million tonnes respectively, near all-time monthly highs. Margins turn positive: Falling domestic prices and stable $230/tonne FOB values have shifted…

Bullish: Millet demand prices at Ukrainian ports surged 60% over the final four months of 2025, signaling tightening supply and/or stronger export demand. Market Signal: The sharp price rally may indicate broader tightness in specialty grain markets and improved revenue prospects for Ukrainian millet producers. Millet Prices Surge at Ukrainian Ports According to APK-Inform monitoring,…

Bullish: Kazakhstan’s crop exports surged 41.2% to $2.3 billion, supported by government financing and expanded market access across Central Asia, China, Russia, the Middle East, and Europe. Bearish: Increased Kazakh supply may intensify competition for freight capacity and pressure Black Sea-origin prices, particularly in wheat and sunflower oil. Kazakhstan Crop Export Surge Kazakhstan’s agricultural export…

Kazakhstan’s Export Credit Agency secured a 200 billion tenge ($440 million) state guarantee with a 10-year term to expand support for non-resource exports. The guarantee boosts the agency’s insurance coverage to highly liquid collateral status, lowering financing costs and improving access to international capital for exporters. Stronger export finance mechanisms are expected to enhance Kazakhstan’s…

Ukrzaliznytsia will introduce an automated freight car repair allocation system from January 1, 2026. The platform will balance depot workloads using capacity, current utilization, and geographic proximity. Full digitalization of contracts, documentation, and payments aims to increase transparency and speed. Expected market impact is neutral to mildly bullish, contingent on successful implementation in 2026. Ukrzaliznytsia…

Financing Momentum: Ukrainian SMEs received 419 state-guaranteed loans totaling about UAH 2 billion in November 2024, reinforcing access to working capital. Program Scale: Since December 2020, the state guarantee program has issued 51,654 loans worth over UAH 168 billion to small and medium-sized businesses. Regional Concentration: Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Lviv oblasts lead in guaranteed loan…

Expanded inspections: Rosselkhozcenter plans to survey over 20.2 million hectares in 2026 across 58 regions for pests, diseases, and weeds to meet strict importer standards. Export growth: Flaxseed exports from Bashkortostan reached 47,000 tons in early 2025, a 46% year-on-year increase, with China as the main destination. Stricter compliance: Key buyers Egypt, Iran, and China…

Stable grain logistics: Ukrzaliznytsia keeps grain car rental rates flat at UAH 1,250/day for January 2025, supporting cost predictability for grain exporters and domestic traders. Diverging costs by segment: Tank cars for food products jump 27% while flour car rates fall 27%, signaling shifting demand across processed and liquid agricultural cargoes. Higher bulk freight costs:…

Logistics bottlenecks persist: Railcar shortages, congested docks, and tighter border controls are keeping Kazakhstan’s grain exports subdued despite the formal lifting of loading restrictions. Prices steady but demand weak: Grade 4 wheat is offered around USD 210/t DAP with softer bids near USD 203/t, while premium 25%+ gluten wheat holds in the USD 230–240/t range…