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As EU wheat exports shrink the USA steps in

20 May 2004

The drought in Europe has affected European wheat exports to both north Africa and sub-Saharan Africa . However the USA has largely stepped in to fill the gap. Traditionally the EU has supplied over 40% of sub-Saharan wheat imports (almost 4 million tonnes in 2002). However this year US sales to Nigeria have increased significantly as domestic consumption has expanded, while the worst crop in a decade in South Africa means that its wheat imports are set to reach record levels. Some 300,000 tonnes will be sourced from the USA.

Editorial comment

The ease with which the USA stepped into the vacuum left by the EU demonstrates how important it is to remove trade distortions in the cereals sector at the global level, if the economic space is to be left for the development of domestic production in ACP countries.