Country News
Bolivia: The government has given approval to export the corn surplus. However, the amount is only 5 KMT, which is much less than the nearly 100 KMT exported in 2015/16. (AgriCensus; USDA/FAS)
Brazil: Planting of the summer corn crop hit 70 percent in Paraná state, which is well ahead of last year’s 30 percent level. Nearly a third of the crop nationally was planted by the end of September. This crop is usually used domestically, and the area planted will fall slightly from 4.176 million hectares last year to 4.11 this year. (Safras & Mercado; SPGlobal; Reuters)
China: Prices fell at the corn auction and volume slid to 14.4 percent of the amount offered, though it varied by region. (AgriCensus)
EU: The 2018/19 corn crop was down 1.1 percent from August to 7.29 MMT. More than a fifth of the French corn crop has been harvested. (EC JRC MARS; AgriCensus)
South Africa: Sorghum production will fall 9 percent to 100 KMT in 2018/19. Farmers prefer the higher prices received for corn and oilseeds, which has led to a drop this decade in sorghum production. The country has gone from being a net exporter to an importer of sorghum. (USDA/FAS GAIN)
Turkey: The state grain board TMO bought 138 KMT of barley in a series of tenders that closed on Tuesday. (Reuters)
Ukraine: The Ministry of Agriculture reports that corn yields continue to improve, though the price outlook is bearish. Because wheat and barley command higher prices, farmers will prefer to store them and discount corn into the export market. (SPGlobal; AgriCensus)