Country News
Argentina: Rains across the Pampas grain belt will likely further delay corn planting, according to Reuters. Prior to this recent deluge, Argentina’s corn planting was already behind due to rain showers earlier in the month.
China: China Natioanl Grain and Oils Information Center has reported that China has increased the amount of corn it imports from Ukraine under the auspices of a loan for grain deal struck between the two countries in 2012, reports Reuters. An additional 1.14 MMT of corn has been purchased since October, which brings the total amount of corn purchased from Ukraine to 1.32 MMT.
France: The Agricultural Ministry announced that it is raising the estimate for this year’s corn harvest to a record high following favorable weather, according to Reuters. It is now believed that French farmers will bring in 16.95 MMT of corn, which is up from the 16.31 MMT estimated in October. The largest corn crop France has ever produced was 16.75 MMT in 1997.