# El Nino swells to boost Atlantic grain transportation - FreightWaves

> FreightWaves reports that a developing El Niño could prolong drought in Australia and bring dry weather to Russia and Ukraine. Banchero Costa forecasts record South American coarse grain exports of 57.5 million tonnes in 2018/19. Dry bulk Atlantic rates could reach levels not seen since 2012.

- Date: 2018-09-20 · published 2018-09-20T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: weather · region Global · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/62937-el-nino-swells-to-boost-atlantic-grain-transportation-freightwaves
- Commodities: [Ocean Grain Freight](https://feedsoft.ai/c/OCEANFRT.md), [Wheat (SRW)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/WHEAT.md)

## Why it matters

Drought in Australia and the Black Sea would tighten wheat supply and support prices, while strong South American export volumes would lift freight demand. Higher Atlantic dry bulk rates would raise delivered feed grain costs.

## Read by commodity

- WHEAT: bullish ▲
- OCEANFRT: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| WHEAT | 2026-05-21 | [Transition to El Nino signals drought relief, but global crop disruption looms - Pro Farmer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/12995-transition-to-el-nino-signals-drought-relief-but-global-crop-disruption-looms.md) | -1.6% | -0.9% |
| WHEAT | 2023-03-20 | [El Niño Watch calls for risk mitigation: StoneX - Grain Central](https://feedsoft.ai/events/36934-el-nino-watch-calls-for-risk-mitigation-stonex-grain-central.md) | -3.3% | +1.0% |
| WHEAT | 2021-03-11 | [Northern Ireland Grain Trade Association - TIGHT SUPPLY DRIVES UP FEED AND FERTILISER PRICES](https://feedsoft.ai/events/48430-northern-ireland-grain-trade-association-tight-supply-drives-up-feed-and.md) | -0.4% | -0.1% |
| WHEAT | 2026-08-04 | [Heatwaves take their toll on EU grain production - Grain Central](https://feedsoft.ai/events/17839-heatwaves-take-their-toll-on-eu-grain-production-grain-central.md) | +0.1% | +5.3% |
| WHEAT | 2019-06-28 | [Heatwave seen trimming, not slashing EU grain harvest \| International](https://feedsoft.ai/events/58532-heatwave-seen-trimming-not-slashing-eu-grain-harvest-international.md) | -8.5% | -12.7% |

## Sources

- freightwaves.com: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/el-nino-grain-season

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.