Sudan’s Wheat Import Requirements to Rise to 3.5 Mln Tons in 2023

A container with wheat is seen aboard Marshall Islands flagged general cargo ship Negmar Cicek loaded with wheat for Yemen, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in a sea port of the Chornomorsk town, Odesa region, Ukraine March 24, 2023. (Reuters)
A container with wheat is seen aboard Marshall Islands flagged general cargo ship Negmar Cicek loaded with wheat for Yemen, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in a sea port of the Chornomorsk town, Odesa region, Ukraine March 24, 2023. (Reuters)
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Sudan’s Wheat Import Requirements to Rise to 3.5 Mln Tons in 2023

A container with wheat is seen aboard Marshall Islands flagged general cargo ship Negmar Cicek loaded with wheat for Yemen, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in a sea port of the Chornomorsk town, Odesa region, Ukraine March 24, 2023. (Reuters)
A container with wheat is seen aboard Marshall Islands flagged general cargo ship Negmar Cicek loaded with wheat for Yemen, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in a sea port of the Chornomorsk town, Odesa region, Ukraine March 24, 2023. (Reuters)

Sudan will need to import 3.5 million tons of wheat this year because of a 30% drop in the projected local harvest after farmers switched to planting different crops, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Wednesday.

Some farmers told Reuters the government had failed to buy their wheat on promised terms last year, leaving them reluctant or without the money to plant a new crop.

This year production of sorghum, a staple in Sudan, and of millet, is expected to recover, helped by favorable rains, the FAO said. Projected wheat imports will therefore account for nearly all Sudan's expected cereal import requirements of 3.6 million tons, it added.

"This will have a major impact on the food security of millions of Sudanese people, as international prices of wheat continue to increase and the country's national currency weakens," the agency said in a statement.

In 2022, Sudan imported 2.7 million tons of wheat and flour at a cost of $1.06 billion, with Russia, Australia, and Romania being the top import origins, according to central bank data.

Humanitarian agencies have warned of rising levels of hunger in Sudan, where more than one third of the population faced acute food insecurity last year.

"Communities are facing differing scales of vulnerabilities driven by soaring prices of staple crops, and the combined effects of economic downturn, high inflation, climate-induced hazards and conflict," the FAO statement quoted its Sudan representative Adam Yao as saying.



Oil Rises as Investors Weigh Market Outlook, Tariffs, Sanctions

A view shows oil pump jacks outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk
A view shows oil pump jacks outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk
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Oil Rises as Investors Weigh Market Outlook, Tariffs, Sanctions

A view shows oil pump jacks outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk
A view shows oil pump jacks outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Manzyuk

Oil prices rose by around 1% on Friday as investors weighed a tight prompt market against a potential large surplus this year forecast by the IEA, while US tariffs and possible further sanctions on Russia were also in focus.

Brent crude futures were up 76 cents, or 1.11%, at $69.40 a barrel as of 1153 GMT US West Texas Intermediate crude ticked up 82 cents, or 1.23%, to $67.39 a barrel.

At those levels, Brent was headed for a 1.6% gain on the week, while WTI was up around 0.6% from last week's close.

The IEA said on Friday the global oil market may be tighter than it appears, with demand supported by peak summer refinery runs to meet travel and power-generation, Reuters reported.

Front-month September Brent contracts were trading at a $1.11 premium to October futures at 1153 GMT.

"Civilians, be they in the air or on the road, are showing a healthy willingness to travel," PVM analyst John Evans said in a note on Friday.

Prompt tightness notwithstanding, the IEA boosted its forecast for supply growth this year, while trimming its outlook for growth in demand, implying a market in surplus.

"OPEC+ will quickly and significantly turn up the oil tap. There is a threat of significant oversupply. In the short term, however, oil prices remain supported," Commerzbank analysts said in a note.

Further adding support to the short-term outlook, Russian deputy prime minister Alexander Novak said on Friday that Russia will compensate for overproduction against its OPEC+ quota this year in August-September.

"Prices have recouped some of this decline after President Trump said he plans to make a 'major' statement on Russia on Monday. This could leave the market nervous over the potential for further sanctions on Russia," ING analysts wrote in a client note.

Trump has expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin due to the lack of progress on peace with Ukraine and Russia's intensifying bombardment of Ukrainian cities.

The European Commission is set to propose a floating Russian oil price cap this week as part of a new draft sanctions package, but Russia said it has "good experience" of tackling and minimising such challenges.