Grain Flows Continue at Normal Pace Despite COVID-19 - USCG

Grain trade flows are continuing at an approximate normal pace, with even increased exports from the U.S. to China, according to the U.S. Grain Council (USGC).

Some global ports may be experiencing a slight slowing of vessels as crews are checked, and some ships from China are being required to undergo extra scrutiny, but as a whole, the global grain trade system is operating as it should, said Ryan LeGrand, president and CEO of the USGC, during a University of Illinois farmdoc webinar.

Along with increased shipments to China, another item of good news, noted LeGrand, was that U.S. corn shipments to its buyers including Mexico, Japan, and South Korea in the last week of March reached an 11-month high.

China also made its largest purchase of U.S. corn in the last seven years, taking 756,000 tons, as well as buying 1 million tons of U.S. sorghum, according to LeGrand, who said that the USGC expects China to be in the market for U.S. DDGs, with the potential to buy 5 million tons.

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