France set for rare rapeseed export to the United States

PARIS (Reuters) – France is set to export about 40,000 tonnes of rapeseed to the United States in an unusual shipment for the oilseed, market sources said.

The Star Maru bulk carrier is scheduled to enter the northern French port of Rouen on Thursday to start loading the cargo, traders and shipping sources said.

France is one of the European Union’s largest rapeseed producers. It regularly exports small cargoes to other European countries but rarely exports beyond the region.

The United States is one of the world’s biggest producers of soybeans but grows and consumes relatively little rapeseed.

It is unclear what prompted the planned shipment of French rapeseed to the United States.

Some of the sources said it may reflect ample supplies in France and the EU after a bigger than expected harvest and strong early-season imports, and niche U.S. demand for non-genetically modified oilseed.

(Reporting by Gus Trompiz and Sybille de La Hamaide in Paris, Michael Hogan in Hamburg and Rod Nickel in Winnipeg; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)