Data or statistical facts on the situation and perspectives of agri-food systems and the impact of policies
51% was the increase in average grains and oilseeds freight costs between January 2025 and September 2026, according to the IGC Grains and Oilseeds Freight Index (GOFI).
Between 2016 and 2019, drought periods in Australia reduced demand and weighed on grains and oilseeds freight values, according to the GOFI long-term trend.
From 2013 through September 2026, freight costs from the Black Sea increased alongside rising grains exports, according to the GOFI long-term trend.
From 2013 through September 2026, South America recorded the steepest increase in grains and oilseeds freight costs among the origins compared by the GOFI, reflecting a marked rise in cargo requirements and associated port delays.
In Australia, robust demand for iron ore and coal dispatches provided additional support to grains and oilseeds freight rates in September 2026.
15% year-on-year was the increase in the IGC Grains and Oilseeds Freight Index (GOFI) in mid-September 2026, when it reached a four-year high.
As of 24 September 2026, disruptions in the Red Sea and Panama Canal were causing vessels to use longer routes, while high fuel costs were limiting vessel speeds and reducing effective fleet capacity.
The steepest year-on-year freight rate gains were recorded in Southern Hemisphere origins—Australia, Argentina and Brazil—in September 2026, partly reflecting plentiful grains and oilseeds exports.
As of 24 September 2026, the El Niño-linked drop in rainfall had lowered water levels at the Panama Canal, leading to a cut in the number of vessels able to transit.
Well below the peaks recorded during the COVID-19-linked disruptions of 2020 and 2021, the GOFI remained in mid-September 2026.
