British wheat exports rose in December, boosted by a shipment to the United States, and are running well ahead of last season's pace, customs data showed on Tuesday. Wheat exports for the month totalled 96,111 tonnes, up from the previous month's 71,463 tonnes.

Exports to EU destinations fell to 34,763 tonnes, the lowest monthly total in the 2019/20 season (July/June) so far, but shipments to non-EU destinations were a season high of 61,328 tonnes. The United States was the most important destination in December, taking 53,000 tonnes, followed by Ireland's 20,742 tonnes.

Cumulative wheat exports for the 2019/20 season were 841,414 tonnes, up from 176,114 tonnes in the same period a year earlier. Wheat exports are expected to increase this season, with production rising nearly 20% to a four-year high of 16.22 million tonnes.

Britain's December wheat imports totalled 116,065 tonnes, up from the previous month's 58,242 tonnes. Cumulative wheat imports for the season total 551,807 tonnes, down sharply from 1.2 million tonnes in the same period a year earlier.