Articles By Marcela Caetano

Brazilian corn exports reached 2.02 million tonnes in the first three weeks of January, while soybean exports totaled 539,339 tonnes in the same period, customs weekly data showed on Monday January 20.

Corn harvest advanced 8 percentage points, to 16% of an area of 748,511 hectares in the week to Thursday January 16 in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, while soybean sowing remains interrupted by the lack of rain, state agency Emater said in its weekly report released late on Thursday.

Rosario Grain Exchange (BCR) has cut its estimate for Argentina’s corn harvest to 48 million tonnes from the previous forecast of 52 million tonnes due to drought while discarding the possibility of an output of 53-53.5 million tonnes for soybeans due to losses in late-sowing areas, its monthly estimates update showed on Wednesday January 15.

Brazilian soybean output is expected to reach 172.4 million tonnes in 2024/25, up from the previous 172.2 million tonnes forecast, while the Brazilian soybean exports forecast rose to 105.1 million tonnes in 2025, from the previous estimate of 103.4 million tonnes, local consultancy Agroconsult said on Thursday January 16.

The Argentine Oilseed Crushers Union (SOEA) decided to maintain a strike at Argentina’s soybean crusher Vicentin started on Saturday January 11, as workers demanded the payment of the agreed-upon bonus and rejected an agreement offer. Workers from the biodiesel company Explora joined the strike because they also did not receive the annual bonus.

Net sales of US soybean rose to 569,100 tonnes during the week to January 9, up by 97% from 288,700 tonnes a week earlier, but 27% lower than the previous four-week average, and within market estimates, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) data showed on Thursday January 16.

Brazilian grain exporters’ association Anec increased its estimate for Brazil’s soybean, corn, soymeal and wheat exports in January, its weekly report showed on Tuesday January 14.

Brazilian food agency Conab has marginally increased its projection for the country’s 2024/25 soybean output to 166.3 million tonnes, while slightly reducing its estimate for the country’s total corn crop to 119.5 million tonnes, its monthly report showed on Tuesday January 14.

A correction has been issued for this report.

The US Department of Agriculture has cut its forecast for US ending stocks, production and yield in 2024/25 below market estimates while keeping the forecast for Brazilian soybean output unchanged in its World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report released on Friday January 10.

US net soybean sales fell to 288,700 tonnes during the week to January 2, a marketing-year low and a drop of 40% from 484,700 tonnes the previous week and 72% lower than the previous four-week average, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) data showed on Friday January 10.

The lack of rain has caused water stress in a significant portion of soybean crops, hindering the end of sowing in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, state agency Emater/RS said in its weekly report released on Thursday January 9.

Soil moisture conditions continued to decline in soybean, corn and sunflower crops in the week ended January 8, although the majority of the crops remained under optimal to adequate conditions, according to the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange (BAGE) report released on Thursday January 9.

Soybean harvest has begun in Brazil, and market analysts expect soybean bumper crops from South America in 2025, provided that there are no weather-related issues and that potential tariffs on China by the Donald Trump administration do not disrupt exports. The ample supply from Brazil and Argentina may put pressure on prices on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and at domestic cash markets, sources told Fastmarkets.

Brazilian soybean exports could total as much as 110 million tonnes in 2025, while corn exports could reach 42 million tonnes, as shipments recover from declines in 2024 on larger production volumes, Brazilian grain exporters’ association Anec said in its weekly report on Wednesday January 8.

The USDA’s attaché in Argentina increased its estimates for the country’s soymeal and soyoil exports and production in 2024/25, while keeping soybean output and crush forecasts unchanged, a report released late on Monday January 6 showed.

Brazilian soymeal exports reached a record 23.1 million tonnes in 2024, up by 2.9% year on year from 22.47 million tonnes, while wheat exports increased by 20.3% in 2024. Soybean and corn exports, however, declined, the country's customs data showed on Monday January 6.

The lack of rain in the past few days has started to affect the soil moisture conditions of crops in Argentina, with an increase in areas under average/dry conditions for soybean, corn and sunflower, according to the Buenos Aires Grains Exchange (BAGE) report released on Friday January 3.

Brazilian grain exporters’ association Anec reduced its estimates for December soymeal, corn and soybeans shipments in its weekly report released on Friday January 3.

US net soybean sales fell by 51% to a marketing-year low of 484,700 tonnes in the week to December 26, down from 978,400 tonnes in the previous week, USDA data showed on Friday January 3.