Wheat Gains as Russia Port Briefly Shut and India May Scrap Duty

Wheat futures rose more than 3%, paring a weekly loss, as a major Russian grain-shipping hub was temporarily closed and India considers scrapping its import tax.

Traffic from the Novorossiysk port was halted for several hours on Friday after a Ukrainian drone attack on a naval vessel. The overnight assault was repelled without damage to port facilities, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

Although the closure was short-lived, it adds to uncertainty about Black Sea trade flows as the war escalates in the midst of this year’s harvests. Russia pulled out of a deal last month that had established a safe corridor for grain shipments from three Ukrainian ports.

In addition, India — the world’s second-biggest wheat producer — is considering abolishing an import tax so that buying grain from overseas becomes more attractive. The last time the nation imported a significant amount of wheat was in the 2017-18 season.

Chicago futures climbed as much as 4.3%, before paring the advance. Paris wheat also rose to trade steady on the week.

Tags: Black Sea, shipments, futures, tax, Novorossiysk port, Russia, импорт, grain, wheat, India