Serbia's wheat and corn exports are expected to drop significantly from previous estimates in 2021-22 due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which has led Serbia to ban exports it considers important for food security, according to a Global Agricultural Information Network. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service report.  

"Serbia is closely monitoring the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, especially as 80% of Serbia's grain exports travel to the world through Black Sea ports," the USDA's Belgrade Post said. "On March 10, Serbia banned exports of food products important to food stability. Specifically, Serbia banned exports of wheat, wheat flour, rye, corn, cornmeal and sunflower oil.  On March 24, Serbia amended the decree to allow the export of wheat and corn, but only in accordance with the contracts signed before the original export ban."

Serbia is expected to produce a record 3 million tonnes of wheat in 2021-22, more than enough to meet its domestic needs and supply 1.6 million tonnes for export, but the export ban prompted Belgrade Post to reduce that projection by 25%. Serbia was expected to export 2 million tonnes of corn in 6 million tonnes of production in 2021-22, but corn exports are now expected to fall 40% to 1.2 million tonnes.

In 2022-23, Serbian wheat production is expected to be 2.6 million tonnes, with domestic consumption reaching 2 million tonnes and exports at 1 million tonnes. The corn crop is planned in 2022-23 to reach 7 million tons, with 2.5 million tons for export. Animal feed will consume 4.3 million tons of the country's 4.7 million tons of domestic corn demand.

Source: Agrolink