Poland's importers will likely bring in up to 500,000 tonnes of Brazilian maize under a duty-free quota to be used by the end of April, grain traders said on Friday.
Poland opened a 600,000 tonne import quota for feed grains from all origins in the New Year to stabilise prices after a poor harvest.
Traders said importers will focus on maize from South America as high west European prices have made wheat imports unprofitable.
"The quota will likely be divided into two tranches, but in total, maize should account for 80-90 percent of it. We should see up to 500,000 tonne imports from Brazil," a source at a grain trading company told Reuters.
"Maize will account for some 80 percent of the quota. Around 80 percent of it - or more than 380,000 tonnes - will come from Brazil and there are also some imports from Paraguay," another trader said.
Traders said many import deals have already been signed and first transport of the maize should arrive at Polish ports around February 20.
Polish maize traded at around 600 zlotys ($163) per tonne ex-warehouse this week, up from some 560 zlotys in the first half of December.
The Polish Grain Traders and Producers Chamber has said Poland will need a total of around 1.8 million tonnes of grain imports to balance the market in the 2003/2004 season.