USDA Reports Mixed Export Sales For Wheat, Corn, And Soybeans

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released its latest export sales report, revealing a notable rise in exports for wheat and corn, while soybean sales hit a low point for the last marketing year. The surge in corn and wheat exports was likely a preemptive move to avoid the holiday slowdown, while soybeans saw a decline due to reductions by unknown destinations.

Wheat and Corn Exports Surge

Wheat export sales totaled 612,400 metric tons (22.5 million bushels), marking a 34% increase compared to the previous week and a 64% rise from the four-week average. The increases were primarily driven by demand from Mexico, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. Additionally, there were net sales of 12,600 MT for the 2025/2026 marketing year to Mexico. Wheat exports, however, dropped 7% from the previous week, totaling 376,200 MT.

Corn exports saw a significant boost, reaching 1,711,300 MT (67.37 million bushels). This represented a 46% jump from the prior week and a 39% rise from the four-week average. Sales surged in Mexico, Colombia, Japan, South Korea, and other unknown destinations. Export volumes also increased, with 1,123,900 MT shipped, a 7% rise from the week before.

Soybeans Hit Marketing Year Low

In contrast, soybean export sales were at a marketing-year low, with only 978,400 MT (35.95 million bushels) sold. This marked a 31% decline from the previous week and a 47% drop from the four-week average. The largest buyers included China, Spain, Egypt, Taiwan, and Mexico. Soybean exports also saw a decrease, with 376,200 MT shipped, down 7% from the previous week and 22% lower than the four-week average.

Rice, Cotton, Beef, and Pork Sales

Rice export sales dropped 11% from the prior week, totaling 91,600 MT, despite gains in shipments to Iraq, Mexico, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. However, rice exports surged by 99% to 95,600 MT, up 25% from the four-week average.

Cotton sales saw a notable increase, with 279,100 RB reported, a 43% rise from the previous week and a 33% increase from the four-week average. Turkey, Vietnam, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Indonesia were the top buyers. Cotton exports also reached a marketing-year high of 13,400 RB, up 11% from the prior week and 65% higher than the four-week average.

In the livestock sector, beef and pork export sales were down, which is typical for this time of year as buyers prepare for 2025 deliveries. Beef net sales fell dramatically by 85%, totaling just 1,100 MT. The largest increases were seen in Japan, Mexico, South Korea, the Netherlands, and Guatemala. Beef exports totaled 16,500 MT, up 4% from the previous week and 10% from the four-week average.

Pork export sales also declined by 37% to 7,100 MT, with the largest buyers being Japan, Mexico, China, Colombia, and Honduras. Pork exports totaled 32,400 MT, up 3% from the prior week and the four-week average.

Factors Affecting Export Demand

The report highlights that export demand is influenced by a range of factors, including fluctuations in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies, as well as seasonal supply changes.

Looking ahead, the USDA’s next round of supply and demand estimates will be released on January 10th, providing further insight into the evolving export landscape for U.S. agricultural commodities.