Country News
Algeria: State grain buyer OAIC paid $20.50/MT less for barley on a shipment for April delivery and ONAB bought 40 KMT of corn from Argentina for April shipment. (AgriCensus)
Argentina: The Rosario Board of Trade pegged marketing year (March 2020-February 2021) corn exports at 33.5 MMT, a 9.5 percent decline that is blamed on the export tax and a 2.9 percent drop in production. (S&P Global Platts)
Australia: Barley prices rallied on the prospect of China demand without punitive tariffs. (AgriCensus)
Brazil: According to the Instituto Mato-Grossense de Economia Agropecuria (IMEA), corn prices in this largest exporting state are up 69 percent from a year earlier. Rainfall in Parana state has suffered planting delays and rainfall is below optimal levels. Nonetheless, the National Association of Cereal Exporters (ANEC) held its projection of 34-35 MMT of corn exports steady, saying the coronavirus would not have an impact. (S&P Global Platts; AgriCensus)
Jordan: The purchase of 120 KMT of barley occurred with a $3/MT discount from the last buy. (AgriCensus)
EU: Coceral says that 2020 EU barley production will be 61.8 MMT, up from 62.2 MMT last year and despite planting delays in France. The boost mostly comes from expanded area in the UK. Meanwhile, corn production will be 65 MMT, up from last year’s 61 MMT due to expanded area in France, Germany and Poland where winter grains could not get planted due to wetness. (World Grain; AgriCensus; Refinitiv)
Mexico: Corn production will hit 27.1 MMT based on expanded planting area and overall corn demand will rise 2.4 percent to 45.5 MMT; rising feed demand will cause a 5.5 percent increase in grain imports. (USDA/FAS/GAIN)
Saudi Arabia: The International Grains Council pegged sorghum production in the Kingdom as unchanged but says this year’s corn imports will rise 25 percent to 5 MMT and barley imports will increase 4.5 percent to 6.9 MMT. (USDA/FAS)
South Korea: MFG, Kocopia, NOFI and FLC all capitalized on falling prices and collectively purchased more than 200 MMT of corn. (AgriCensus)
Ukraine: The Ministry of Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture says that grain exports are 24.6 percent higher this marketing year with barley exports at 4.1 MMT and corn exports at 21.7 MMT. (Refinitiv)