Wheat Flour Trade Hits Five-Year Low Amid Weaker Demand

Global wheat flour trade has hit a five-year low of 15.1 million tons in wheat equivalent for the season 2025/26, according to the International Grains Council (IGC). This is significantly lower than their March forecast by nearly one million tons.

The decline is largely attributed to weaker-than-expected demand from Iraq and Sudan, which are rebuilding domestic milling capacity and shifting back towards grain imports instead of buying finished flour. Iraq's flour imports have plummeted by nearly 80% year-on-year to 300 thousand tons, the lowest level in 21 years.

Middle East flour imports have declined for a third consecutive season to a 14-year low of 1.8 million tons, while sub-Saharan Africa saw a 33% drop to 2.2 million tons. On the export side, Egypt recorded the sharpest decline with shipments falling to 635 thousand tons from 1.94 million tons a season earlier.

Turkey's exports declined for a second consecutive year to 3.4 million tons, the lowest since 2012/13. However, Kazakhstan increased shipments to 2.95 million tons and Argentina to 748 thousand tons.