April 18, 2017

US feed grain exports up 33% in first 6 months

US feed grain exports in the first six months of the 2016/2017 marketing year increased 33% year-on-year to more than 56.6 million tonnes from 42.5 million tonnes in the same period in the previous marketing year, according to recently published trade data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and analysis by the US Grains Council (USGC). The six-month period covers September 2016 to February 2017.

Exports of US meat produced with feed grains, including beef, pork and poultry, increased 15% from 9.9 million tonnes to 11.5 million tonnes in corn equivalent year-on-year.

Leading the increase, exports of US corn increased 71% year-on-year during the first half of the marketing year to 27.8 million tonnes compared with 16.3 million tonnes the year before. Exports as of February 2016 represented 58% of last marketing year's total volume.

US exports of distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS) also increased 3% year-on-year despite trade disruptions in two major markets, China and Vietnam. US DDGS exports totalled 5.9 million tonnes in the first six months of the 2016/2017 marketing year, compared with 5.7 million tonnes in the previous year.

While overall feed grain exports increased, exports of both sorghum and barley declined in the first six months of the 2016/2017 marketing year. US sorghum exports decreased year-on-year from 5 million tonnes to 3.4 million tonnes. Smaller purchases by China drove the sharp decline.

US barley exports decreased year-on-year from nearly 143,000 tonnes to about 41,000 tonnes due to a decline in US exports to Mexico.