Home

Corn Export Cargo Quality Report 2013/2014

Contents

  1. Export Cargo Quality Highlights
  2. Introduction
  3. Quality Test Results
  4. Moisture
  5. Chemical Composition
  6. Physical Factors
  7. Mycotoxins
  8. U.S. Corn Export System
  9. U.S. Export Corn Flow
  10. Impact of the Corn Market Channel on Quality
  11. U.S. Government Inspection and Grading
  12. Survey and Statistical Analysis Methods
  13. Survey Design and Sampling
  14. Statistical Analysis
  15. Testing Analysis Methods
  16. Corn Grading Factors
  17. Moisture
  18. Chemical Composition
  19. Physical Factors
  20. Mycotoxin Testing
  21. U.S. Corn Grades and Conversions
Download report

B. Moisture

Moisture content is reported on all official grade certificates, but does not determine which numerical grade will be assigned to the sample. Moisture content is usually specifed in the contract by the buyer, independent of the grade. Moisture content is important because it affects the amount of dry matter being sold and purchased. In addition, the average moisture level and variability in a shipment of corn affect its quality arriving at destination. Corn is typically transported in railcars or in closed, nearly airtight holds during the ocean voyage, and few bulk carriers or railcars have the ability to aerate the grain mass during transit. This lack of aeration can create an ideal environment for pockets of high moisture to initiate microbiological activity. In addition, temperature variations in the grain mass can cause moisture migration, resulting in warm, moist air condensing on colder surfaces of grain, near sidewalls or on the underside of hatch covers, which can lead to development of spoilage or hot spots. Hot spots are small pockets of corn where the moisture content and temperature become abnormally higher than the average for the cargo. Thus, uniformity of moisture content among sublots and average moisture values below 14.5% are important for minimizing the risk of hot spots developing during transit.

RESULTS

  • U.S. Aggregate moisture content averaged 14.5%, significantly higher than in previous years.
  • Approximately 47.9% of the export samples had moisture contents above 14.5%, compared to 19% and 25% in 2012/13 and 2011/12, respectively.
  • Approximately 52.2% of the samples had moisture contents of 14.5% or below. Moisture standard deviation was lower in 2013/14 (0.32%) than in 2012/13 (0.43%), indicating greater uniformity, but was higher than in 2011/12 (0.29%).
  • Average moisture content and moisture variability decreased between harvest and export as a result of drying and conditioning in the market channel following harvest.
  • Average moisture in the Southern Rail ECA was significantly higher than in the other two ECAs in the 2013/14 export samples.