Free of charge

Buckwheat: EU increases imports from Kazakhstan 14-fold

July 31, 2024 at 4:55 PM , Der AUDITOR
Play report as audio

DALIAN/KYIV. Prices are rising on the Chinese market and in Ukraine the wait is on for the first buckwheat crop data. Meanwhile, EU imports rose by around two thirds in July.

Chinese goods are becoming expensive

While there is hardly any domestic produce left on the Chinese buckwheat market, trade is being supported by imports from Eastern Europe. Nevertheless, prices have continued to rise in recent weeks and currently stand at USD 870/mt FOB Dalian for hulled buckwheat, while organic buckwheat is being offered for USD 960/mt FOB.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food has not yet published any data for the 2024/2025 buckwheat crop. However, other grains such as millet, wheat and barley are already being harvested. A total of 100,800 ha are said to have been sown with buckwheat this year and the harvest should not be long in coming.

Buckwheat, China

Hulled

USD/mt

Conventional

870

Organic

960

FOB Dalian

EU imports up by two thirds

In the first month of the 2024/2025 season (July), a total of 860 mt of millet was imported into the EU from third countries, representing a year-on-year increase of 66%. The majority of shipments, 365 mt, came from Kazakhstan (+1,420.8% year-on-year), followed by Ukraine and Russia. The main importers in the EU were Estonia (320 mt), Lithuania (207 mt) and Germany (92 mt).

In the period from September 2023 to May 2024, Germany imported 4,170 mt of buckwheat, 28.6% less than in the same period of the previous year. Although shipments from Poland to Germany almost halved to 1,761 mt, the country remains the most important trading partner for buckwheat deliveries. Imports from Russia also fell by 62.1% to 316 mt. At the same time, however, Germany drastically increased imports from the Czech Republic (+1,663% to 811 mt) and Kazakhstan (+243.2% to 501 mt).

EU buckwheat imports, in mt

Supplier

2023/24

2024/25

Diff.

Kazakhstan

24

365

1420.8%

Ukraine

0

238

n/a

Russia

312

131

-58.0%

China

156

125

-19.9%

Others

26

1

-96.2%

Total

518

860

66.0%

DG AGRI TAXUD Customs Surveillance System, 01/07-29/07

10081000 Buckwheat

View more
price chart, organic buckwheat, China
more price charts

 

Attached Files

File icon
price chart buckwheat, hulled, China

View related articles

Go to the News Overview
Organic Commodities
Mar 25, 2026
ASUNCIÓN. In Paraguay, chia farmers are fully occupied with sowing for the 2026 crop. The work will continue until around mid-April. Supply is declining.
Grains
Mar 23, 2026
DALIAN. On the Chinese millet market, traders and growers are currently holding back on offers. Domestic demand is expected to ease. Global millet production in 2025/26 is forecast to be 3% higher than the previous year’s figure.
Grains
Mar 23, 2026
DALIAN/KYIV. Rising freight rates are leading to lower demand for Chinese buckwheat. In Ukraine, experts predict a slight decline in acreage.
Grains
Mar 18, 2026
KYIV. Smaller acreage and lower yields had caused millet production in Ukraine to decline significantly. This year, the acreage is to be expanded by 20% again. EU imports from Ukraine have fallen by 17% this season.