Trade

In its October Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook report, the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) indicated that, “U.S. beef exports in August set a new record of 325 million pounds, an increase of 57 million pounds, or 21 percent, from a year ago.”

Bloomberg writer Ailing Tan reported this week that, “China’s goods imports from the U.S. have only reached about 53% of the $200 billion worth of additional products and services it promised to buy under the trade deal signed last year, far behind its purchasing target.”

Reuters writer Dominique Patton reported this week that, “China’s third-quarter pork production surged to its highest in three years, official data showed on Monday, after producers built thousands of large breeding farms last year to rebuild a hog herd decimated by African swine fever.”

Reuters writers Hallie Gu and Gavin Maguire reported late last week that, “For the first time in a year, corn prices in China’s key Shandong hub this week have fallen to the same levels as wheat, leading some feed producers to switch back to using more of the yellow grain, traders and analysts said.”

In its Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade report this week, the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) indicated that, “China pork production is expected to contract in 2022 as the hog sector adjusts to rapidly changing market conditions. Hog prices have fallen dramatically since the beginning of 2021 and have remained persistently low despite recent national holidays that usually mark an uptick in pork consumption.”

Wall Street Journal writer Yuka Hayashi reported late last week that, “The Biden administration kicked off its trade-policy engagement with China late Friday with a virtual meeting between U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He.”

Financial Times writers Demetri Sevastopulo and Ryan McMorrow reported on Thursday that, “Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have agreed to hold a virtual summit this year, in the first sign of improving relations between the countries since the US president took office.”

A recent report from the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) post in Beijing (“China: Grain and Feed Update”) stated that, “Post’s MY 2021/22 corn import forecast is 20 MMT, 6 MMTs below USDA’s official forecast.”

Wall Street Journal writers Josh Zumbrun, Bob Davis and Lingling Wei reported in Tuesday’s paper that, “The Biden administration began defining its China trade policy Monday, saying it aims to launch new talks with Beijing but will keep existing tariffs in place, while also restoring the ability of U.S. importers to seek exemptions from those levies.”

Bloomberg News reported this week that, “China’s power-hungry commodities producers are in Beijing’s firing line, but the government’s efforts to stave off a full-blown energy crisis are also fueling rallies in everything from fertilizer to silicon.”

Reuters writer Karl Plume reported this week that, “U.S. soybean exports jumped last week to a six-month peak, while corn shipments were the highest in a month as Louisiana Gulf Coast terminals steadily ramped up operations disrupted nearly a month ago by Hurricane Ida, preliminary data showed on Monday.”

In its monthly Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook report last week, USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) stated that, “In July, U.S. beef exports totaled 297 million pounds, exceeding last July’s exports by 17.9 percent or 45 million pounds.”

Reuters writer Julie Ingwersen reported earlier this week that, “U.S. grain exports increased last week as shippers along the Louisiana Gulf Coast recovered from flooding and widespread power outages caused by Hurricane Ida’s Aug. 29 landfall, but volumes were much lower than normal, preliminary data showed on Monday.”

In its monthly Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook report last week, USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) stated that, “Pork exports in July were 508 million pounds, 8.5 percent lower than those of a year ago.”

Earlier this week, the USDA’s Economic Research Service noted in its monthly Oil Crops Outlook report that, “Hurricane Ida’s emergence in the Gulf of Mexico slowed the pace of exports near the end of August which is expected to continue into early September.”

Reuters writer Karl Plume reported this week that, “U.S. grain exports slumped to their lowest level in years last week as shippers struggled to restart loading operations along the Louisiana Gulf Coast after Hurricane Ida flooded and damaged grain terminals and knocked out power across the region, preliminary data showed on Monday.”

In its monthly World Agricultural Production report on Friday, USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) indicated that, “USDA estimates China marketing year (MY) 2021/22 corn production at a record 273.0 million metric tons (mmt), up 5.0 mmt or 2 percent from last month, up 5 percent from last year, and 5 percent above the 5-year average of 260.3 mmt.”

Last week, a report from the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) post in Beijing (“China: Oilseeds and Products Update“) stated that, “Soybean imports are forecast at 101 million metric tons (MMT) in marketing year (MY) 21/22, up 3 MMT from the previous year.”

Recent news articles have highlighted independent developments that are impacting agricultural export markets.

Reuters writers Karl Plume and PJ Huffstutter reported this week that, “Grain shippers on the U.S. Gulf Coast reported more damage from Hurricane Ida to their terminals on Wednesday as Cargill Inc confirmed damage to a second facility, while power outages across southern Louisiana kept all others shuttered.”