Durum
Wheat
Factsheet
Key facts
Description: Durum has the hardest kernel of all wheat. It differs from other wheat as the
Global production: 37m tonnes
per annum
endosperm, or the heart of the wheat kernel, does not break down into a fine, powdery flour
when it is milled.
The endosperm of durum is hard enough to remain together during milling and the result is a
granular product called semolina which is used to make pasta, couscous (a staple food in North
Africa) and some bread products. It is the yellow endosperm of durum wheat that gives pasta its
golden colour.
Production process: Durum wheat is milled using a set of grooved steel rollers, which are
spaced apart at a distance that is smaller than the kernel size. As the wheat goes through the
mill, the rollers remove the bran and the germ from the endosperm, which is cracked into
small pieces in the process. The particles are then sifted in order to separate the bran and germ
from the endosperm, leaving behind durum wheat pieces, also known as semolina, which can
be ground into semolina flour.
The flour yield (the percentage of flour obtained from a given unit of whole wheat kernels) of
durum wheat after it is milled is lower than normal milling wheat, as it is a hard wheat. An
average yield for durum wheat is around 60%, while milling wheat yields around 70-75% flour.
Major producers: EU (mainly
Italy), Canada, US
Major exporters: Canada, US
Main trading centre: ICE Canada,
AGREX (Italy)
Durum wheat price (Italy, 2015
average): EUR 327/tonne
Durum wheat price (US, 2015
average): USD 395/tonne
Semolina price (US, 2015
average): USD 589/tonne
Food uses: pasta, couscous, bread
products
Once milled, water is added to semolina flour to make a stiff dough, which is cut and can be
moulded into one of the many types of pasta shapes that are available. The moisture content
of the pasta is then reduced to 12-13%, so that it can be stored.
Non-food uses: animal feed
Around 1.4kg of durum wheat will make enough semolina to produce about 1kg of dry pasta,
which in turn yields a 2.5kg portion when cooked.
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[email protected] or
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Which Datagain price series to use?
Datagain code
Commodity
Grade/details
Origin
Delivery
Location/destination
WI14
durum wheat
pure/good
Milan, Italy
9K71
durum wheat
amber, no 2
Canada
OU17
durum wheat
amber
Minnesota, Minneapolis, US
OU18
semolina
Minnesota, Minneapolis, US
Grades/varieties: The US grades durum wheat numerically, from grade 1 (highest quality) to 5 (lowest quality). US grades are
determined by the percentage of damaged, shrunken or broken kernels and foreign materials in a sample. Amber durum is amber in colour
and has larger grains than other types of wheat. Red durum is mainly used as feed for livestock.
In Italy, there are 3 main classes of durum wheat: fino (fine/pure, with a minimum protein content of 13%), buono (good, 12% protein) and
mercantile (fair, 11.5% protein).
Production and trade: Global production of durum wheat amounts to approximately 37m tonnes per annum.
The major producers are the EU (with Italy, France, Spain and Greece combined accounting for 22% of world output), Canada (12%),
Northwest Africa (with Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia combined accounting for 12%) and the US (8%).
Canada is by far the world’s largest exporter of durum wheat, exporting around 80% of its produce (51% of total world exports). Around
two thirds of EU imports come from Canada. Durum wheat futures are traded on the ICE Intercontinental Exchange Canada (ICE CA) and
Agricultural Derivatives Exchange (AGREX), which is the agricultural commodity derivatives segment of the Italian Derivatives Market.
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FACTSHEET CATEGORY – GRAINS/CEREALS
Durum wheat
Jan
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US (major crop areas)
EU
Canada
Key:
Harvest
Plant
Durum production is dependent on favourable weather conditions: long warm days followed by cool summer nights, moderate
rainfall and a dry harvest period. Canadian durum is produced in parts of the Prairies (e.g. southern Saskatchewan and Alberta),
where the weather conditions are drier during harvesting, which leads to a higher quality crop. In the US, the majority of durum is
grown in the northern Plains. Around 70% of US durum is from North Dakota. In the EU, the largest producing areas are in France’s
central region (Eure-et-Loir, Loir-et-Cher, and Loiret), Greece’s Central Macedonia (Thessaloniki, Kelkis, and Chaldkidiki), Puglia in
Italy and Andalucia in Spain.
Price influencing factors:

Weather plays a large role in the production of durum wheat and can therefore affect prices. Durum wheat faces more challenges
during the development stage of the crop cycle compared with other wheat varieties, as it is more susceptible to kernel damage
and fungal diseases when exposed to high moisture conditions.

The vast majority of durum wheat is used in the production of pasta and couscous. Other common wheat varieties are widely
viewed as unsuitable for use in the manufacture of these products as their kernels are softer in texture. Any shortages in durum
wheat can therefore lead to significant price premiums of durum over common wheat.

Conversely, abundant supplies of durum wheat can weigh heavily on prices as it is not used for anything other than making pasta,
couscous and some bread products.

If durum wheat has to be imported into the EU, other factors such as freight costs, transport costs and import duties also need to
be considered in the price.
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