Country News
Israel: Private traders issued a tender for 85 KMT of corn, 25 KMT of feed barley and 40 KMT of feed wheat. The grain can be optional origin. (Reuters)
Philippines: After ideal weather conditions and the use of hybrid seed, the Philippines hit record corn production (8.1 MMT) at 120 percent of consumption (5.6 MMT). Agriculture secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol said the country would target the 2 million tons of exports at Malaysia, South Korea and Taiwan. (SunStar Philippines)
South Africa: Corn stocks are tight and new production is under threat from the spread of army worms in the region. Wandile Sihlobo says the country will need to import 300 KMT of white corn before the next harvest. (Agrimoney) An earlier shipment of white corn from Mexico arrived with mold on it after it took the 60 percent longer route of going around South America’s Tierra del Fuego rather than pay the cost of going through the Panama Canal. Meanwhile, the government in Pretoria approved and issued 15 import permits for 1.3 MMT of genetically modified corn from the U.S. BVG Ltd. trader Brink van Wyk said that it will be “a lot cheaper that the non-GM.” (Bloomberg)
Zambia: Army worms are thriving as Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya says the pest has affected 124,000 hectares of corn. That is about 10 percent of the planted area. There are also problems caused by stalk borers. (Inter Press Service)