UK grain exports rose in July, boosted by a sharp climb in shipments of both wheat and barley to drought-hit Spain, official customs data showed on Monday.
Wheat exports rose to 164,901 tonnes, up from 109,453 tonnes in the same month last year with Spain emerging as the largest market, the data indicated.
Wheat exports to Spain accounted for 90,485 tonnes while Portugal took 44,968 tonnes. Spain's domestic grain production this year has been devastated by the worst drought on record.
Barley exports rose to 46,579 tonnes, more than double the 22,479 tonnes shipped in the same month last year with Spain accounting of 43,167 tonnes.
UK wheat exports to the Netherlands, however, fell to 9,826 tonnes, down from 33,379 tonnes in July 2004.
Imports of wheat into the UK during July rose to 140,183 tonnes, up from 56,795 tonnes in the same month last year. The total included 103,939 tonnes from the EU.