Commodities July 22, 2026 10:16 AM

EU soft wheat exports fall sharply by mid-July as barley shipments also drop, maize imports rise

European Commission data through July 19 show marked year-on-year declines in soft wheat and barley exports, with gaps in national reporting limiting completeness

By Sofia Navarro
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The European Union exported 0.47 million metric tons of soft wheat from the start of the 2026/27 season through July 19, down from 0.86 million tons in the same period a year earlier, European Commission data show. Barley shipments likewise contracted, while maize imports increased. The Commission flagged missing export data for several member states, which constrains the full assessment of flows.

EU soft wheat exports fall sharply by mid-July as barley shipments also drop, maize imports rise
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Key Points

  • Soft wheat exports from the EU reached 0.47 million metric tons by July 19 in the 2026/27 season, down from 0.86 million tons in the same period a year earlier - impacts agriculture producers and grain trading markets.
  • Barley exports fell to 0.19 million metric tons by mid-July versus 1.11 million tons in the comparable period of 2025/26 - relevant to livestock feed producers and commodity processors.
  • EU maize imports rose to 0.76 million metric tons by July 19, up from 0.63 million tons a year earlier - relevant for grain importers and downstream food and feed sectors.

The European Union reported 0.47 million metric tons of soft wheat exported between the start of the 2026/27 marketing season in July and July 19, according to figures published by the European Commission on Wednesday. That total represents a decline from the 0.86 million metric tons exported in the equivalent stretch of the 2025/26 season.

Barley exports over the same window also decreased. The Commission recorded 0.19 million metric tons of barley exported by July 19, compared with 1.11 million metric tons in the corresponding weeks of the 2025/26 season.

In contrast to the softer outbound grain flows, EU maize movements into the bloc were higher year-on-year by mid-July. Imports of maize reached 0.76 million metric tons by July 19, up from 0.63 million metric tons recorded in the same timeframe a year earlier.

The Commission cautioned that the dataset is incomplete for several member countries. It noted that export reporting for France has been incomplete since the beginning of 2024. Additional gaps affect Bulgaria and Ireland dating back to the start of the 2023/24 marketing year, and Greece has missing data from January 2026 onward.

These reporting shortfalls were highlighted alongside the headline volumes, indicating that the published totals may not fully capture all movements across the EU. The Commission made no further adjustments in its release; it presented the available figures and the associated limitations disclosed for specific member states.

Taken together, the Commission's weekly snapshot shows year-on-year declines in EU soft wheat and barley exports by mid-July, with maize imports rising modestly in the same period. The agency's note on incomplete national reporting underlines a constraint on interpreting the totals as a definitive measure of intra-seasonal trade flows across the bloc.


Data source: European Commission weekly export and import reporting through July 19.

Risks

  • Incomplete national reporting - the Commission noted missing export data for France since early 2024, Bulgaria and Ireland since the start of 2023/24, and Greece since January 2026, which limits the completeness of the totals - this affects the accuracy of trade assessments for agricultural and commodity market participants.
  • Year-on-year declines in reported soft wheat and barley exports through mid-July introduce uncertainty for supply-side balance analysis for grain markets and related sectors such as food processing and feed production.

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