Brazil’s corn exports for June, initially projected at 1 million metric tons (39.4 million bushels), ultimately totaled just 271,000 tons (10.7 million bushels), according to the latest report from U.S. Grains Council representative Alfredo Navarro.

The sharp drop is attributed to three factors: delays in harvest, high freight costs and long waiting lines that produced a shortage of berths at Brazil’s ports.
Navarro now expects Brazil’s August shipments could total as much as 1.85 million tons (72.9 million bushels) as shipments catch up. That would set a new montly record.

Brazil’s corn exports over the past decade have varied from as low as 1 million tons (39.4 million bushels) in 2005 to a high of 10.9 million tons (429.5 million bushels) in 2007. 

Based on January-to-July shipments, Brazil’s top export customers this year are Iran, Spain, Netherlands, Malaysia, Algeria, Morocco, Colombia, Indonesia, Portugal and Vietnam.