Region: Volga-don basin, the Azov sea, Black sea, Caspian sea
Tonnage: Bonfire

The situation in the freight market of the stake in the Azov-black sea region in the 25th week remained difficult. Market participants expect that from 1 July will be lifted restrictions on the exportation of main species of cereal crops originated from Russia. On these expectations, the market appeared a number of proposals with the shipment in the first half of July. Traders are looking for options to send the first batches of barley of the new crop, harvesting of which is underway in Crimea, Krasnodar Krai and Stavropol. Charterers with the already concluded contracts, trying to take the ships as early as possible, using the effect of a low market. Shipowners, in turn, use the tactics of overstating the rates for July, trying as quickly as possible to return the market to profitability of flights. Equilibrium has not yet been found, and transactions for July is little. In the meantime, the market remains rather on the side of the Charterers.

Widely discussed the issue with documentation with a range of cereals, nominally available for shipment until July. Market participants believe that the officials of the Rosselkhoznadzor there is an unspoken order not to issue a quarantine, and, as a consequence, and phytosanitary certificates to seek clarification from the Ministry of agriculture, potentially slowing growth rates in early July. Exporters feel in a similar situation with the prohibition of the export of sunflower in March, will not sign new contracts until the situation is clarified officials.
Market participants also agree that the agriculture Ministry is likely to extend the ban on export of sunflower seeds until the end of August to stimulate the domestic processing sector. Despite the negative market reaction to these intentions, prices for sunflower oil, and the seed grew serious. If the restrictions will still be shot, then the crop on foreign markets may form a serious demand. In the meantime, the Owners need to hope for a lifting of the export quotas for major grains, such as barley and wheat.

The Caspian freight market continues to remain stagnant, repeating the history of Azov. Everyone is waiting for the beginning of July, when the market will leave the grain of barley of the new harvest, trading in which is already well under way. While the participants converge in the forecast that freight rates in the Caspian region will grow faster than those from the Azov ports, because of the high demand for barley from Iran.