PARIS: Soft wheat exports from the European Union so far in the 2023/24 season had reached 2.92 million metric tons by Aug. 6, down 16% from 3.48 million tons a year earlier, data published by the European Commission showed on Tuesday.

EU barley exports totalled 594,352 tons, 58% lower than 1.40 million in the corresponding period in 2022/23, while EU maize imports were at 1.39 million tons, 33% below the 2.07 million tons a year earlier.

The figures are for the marketing year starting on July 1.

A breakdown of the EU data showed Romania was the biggest EU soft wheat exporter so far in 2023/24, with 752,351 tons shipped, followed by Bulgaria with 649,387 tons, Poland with 635,235 tons, France with 428,459 tons and Germany with 334,818 tons.

The EU barley export tally was led by France with 287,249 tons and Romania with 207,172 tons. However, the figure for France appeared to be lagging actual barley loadings, which port data compiled by Refinitiv suggest have surpassed 700,000 tons.