Italy's seven-month wheat imports rise

Imports of soft and durum wheat to Italy, a major grain buyer in Europe, rose again in the first seven months of 2009, while maize imports were almost flat, Italian cereals body Anacer said on Monday. Wheat imports started to rise in the six months to June 2009, reversing a falling trend seen in the previous periods.
In January-July, soft wheat imports rose 17.4 percent to 2,295,231 tonnes and imports of durum wheat, used for making pasta, rose 27.3 percent to 1,277,482 tonnes, it said in a statement. Maize imports stood at 1,252,697 tonnes, against 1,250,396 in the first seven months of 2008.
Anacer said exports of rice from Italy, Europe's biggest producer, dropped 21 percent to 411,372 tonnes. Exports of soft wheat flour fell 5 percent to 31,240 tonnes from and exports of durum wheat semolina more than doubled to 63,491 tonnes from 29,002 tonnes.