Serbia commodity exchange sees second week of weak demand, price pressure spreads

Trading activity on Serbia’s commodity exchange has entered a second consecutive week of subdued demand, underscoring a broader slowdown in buyer participation and a growing mismatch between what sellers offer and what buyers are willing to pay. The result has been limited liquidity across multiple agricultural segments, with several prices drifting lower.

Buyers stay away as volumes remain constrained

Novi Sad market data show overall activity remained limited, with buyers largely absent across key agricultural commodities. The decline in demand has constrained trading volumes and contributed to downward pressure on prices in several segments, even as some markets continued to see selective interest.

Wheat trades most actively, but quality gaps cap deals

Wheat remained the most actively traded commodity, but transactions were still constrained by quality mismatches. Buyers focused mainly on wheat with 11–11.5% protein content and feed-grade wheat. However, available supply of those specifications was below average and insufficient to meet demand.

Deals were concluded at around 20.70 dinars per kilogram (excluding VAT), a 2.36% decline compared with the previous week.

Corn demand narrows further; prices ease

The corn market reflected a similar imbalance. Supply stayed relatively steady, but demand was limited to a smaller group of buyers who primarily targeted corn without aflatoxin analysis. Prices settled at approximately 22.00 dinars per kilogram (excluding VAT), down 1.35% on the week.

Soybeans remain quiet; barley effectively stalls

Soybean trading was described as calm, with no significant participant activity beyond narrow price movement. Prices stayed within a tight range of 52.70–52.80 dinars per kilogram, up marginally by 0.42%, indicating relative stability despite low liquidity.

Barley markets effectively stalled: demand was weak and restricted to small volumes, while wider price spreads between buyers and sellers complicated agreement-making. No transactions were recorded during the week.

Secondary products show mixed signals; fertilizer trades fail to close

In secondary agricultural products, sugar beet pellets traded at 27 dinars per kilogram. The fertilizer market saw slight declines on the supply side, but no completed trades occurred due to weak buyer interest.

Seasonal focus competes with trading; structural imbalance persists

Toward the end of the week, there were indications that demand could be re-emerging at slightly higher price levels. Yet insufficient supply prevented additional transactions from materializing, highlighting an ongoing structural imbalance between market participants.

The persistence of weak demand into a second week suggests seasonal factors—particularly ongoing agricultural work such as sowing and crop maintenance—are diverting attention away from trading. At the same time, pricing mismatches and cautious buyer sentiment appear to be limiting liquidity, leaving the exchange in a holding pattern even as modest price adjustments continue in segments where deals can still be reached.