Italy maize import jumps, wheat falls

Maize imports to Italy jumped to 1,696,371 tonnes in the first nine months of 2007 from 957,440 tonnes in the same period a year earlier, Italian cereals body Anacer said on Monday. Italy is Europe's second-biggest maize producer after France but still needs to buy abroad to cover domestic demand.
Imports of soft wheat into Italy, a major wheat buyer in Europe, fell to 3,132,984 tonnes in the January-September 2007 from 3,447,036 tonnes in the same period a year ago, Anacer said in a statement.