Rome | Reuters — In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Italian firms can source durum wheat from Canada, the Italian industry ministry said in a statement following meetings on Wednesday with various firms and associations.
The statement added that alternative suppliers for clay, iron and sunflower seeds had not yet been found.
Ukraine and Russia are two of the largest commodities’ producers in the world and the ongoing conflict is roiling markets as manufacturers fret over how they will secure alternative supplies.
Due to drought on the Prairies last summer, Statistics Canada has estimated Canada’s production of durum in 2021 at 2.65 million tonnes, well down from 6.57 million in 2020. Acres seeded to durum in Canada in 2021 were estimated to be down by 2.8 per cent on the year.
Canadian stocks of durum at Dec. 31, 2021 were estimated last month at 2.09 million tonnes, down 56.4 per cent from the same date in 2020.
— Reporting for Reuters by Giuseppe Fonte. Includes files from Glacier FarmMedia Network staff.
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