October 5, 2011

China's 2011-12 corn output seen at 167 million tonnes

The US Grains Council (USGC) estimated China's corn production next year at 167 million tonnes, 11 million tonnes below USDA's forecast of 178 million, after a major crop tour in China.

The council, which promotes exports of US grains, projected China's harvested area for corn at 76.35 million acres and estimated the average yield at roughly 86 bushels per acre. The group's tour sampled some 300 fields.

The USGC said China was expected to import 5-10 million tonnes of grains in the 2011-12 season - well above the two million tonnes forecast by the USDA.

Its forecast suggests that China, which purchased corn from the US last year for the first time in four years, could be back for even larger imports.

The group projected China's 2011-12 corn consumption at 170.1 million tonnes.