PARIS: Soft wheat exports from the European Union between July 1 and July 9 totalled 360,867 metric tons, down from 664,550 a year earlier, the European Commission said on Tuesday in its first data for the 2023/24 season.

Traders have been expecting stiff competition from massive Russian supplies, in contrast to a year ago when buyers rushed to book EU wheat amid disruption to Black Sea trade caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.