Global Ag News For Feb 10.2026

TOP HEADLINES

Indian demand for palm oil to rebound as prices at discount to Chinese soyoil, analysts say

Indian demand for palm oil is set to rebound this year as prices have come down, analysts said on Monday, although competition from Chinese soyoil, an alternative oil, will cap growth.

A surge in Chinese soyoil exports early last year dampened demand for palm oil in India, as consumers switched to using soyoil instead.

However, that led to an excess supply of palm oil which eventually pushed the price of palm oil down below soyoil prices.

Crude palm oil is currently being offered at about $1,165 a metric ton on a cost, insurance and freight basis for March delivery to India, compared with around $1,281 for crude soyoil, the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) said.

Anilkumar Bagani, commodity research head at Mumbai-based brokerage Sunvin Group, forecast India will import about 8.5 to 9 million tons of palm oil this year. That would be up from 7.6 million tons in 2025, according to SEA figures.

India is the world’s biggest importer of palm oil, but Chinese soyoil exports will continue to keep demand for palm oil in check.

China has stepped up exports of soyoil as it has excess supply after importing a record 111.83 million metric tons of soybeans in 2025, a 6.5% increase, driven by heavy South American purchases to hedge against trade tensions.

“They (China) are exporting almost 100,000 tons a month, and that is hurting the Indian market. It is hurting palm, it is hurting Indian soya, it is hurting everyone. So that is a big factor which the market is ignoring,” veteran industry analyst Dorab Mistry told Reuters ahead of an industry conference in Kuala Lumpur.

“China was an importer, (but) now China is exporting,” said Mistry, who is also director of Indian consumer goods company Godrej International.

Indonesia and Malaysia are the world’s biggest palm oil producers.

An Indonesian analyst said strong production of palm oil and soyoil would pressure the palm oil contract, which Indian buyers will take advantage of.

“India, by hook or by crook, they have to import palm because of the price absolute value,” said an analyst at a major Malaysian palm oil firm.

India’s overall consumption of vegetable oils – predominantly palm, sunflower, soya and rapeseed – is expected to total around 25 million metric tons this year, barely changed from 2025, said Bagani. Domestic supply of the oils is expected at between 9 and 9.5 million tons.

“We will have to import around 15.5 to 16 million tons of edible oils,” Bagani told Reuters.

“About 8.5 to 9 million tons of palm oil, around 4 million tons of soybean oil, and 2.8 million tons of sunflower oil,” Bagani added.

Mistry too forecast that India’s edible oil demand will be flat this year as population growth is not accelerating, and the government is urging less oil consumption for health reasons.

FUTURES & WEATHER

Wheat prices overnight are down 1 1/2 in SRW, down 3/4 in HRW, down 0 in HRS; Corn is unchanged; Soybeans down 1 1/2; Soymeal down $0.10; Soyoil down 0.25.

For the week so far wheat prices are down 2 1/4 in SRW, down 3 1/4 in HRW, down 0 in HRS; Corn is down 2; Soybeans down 7 3/4; Soymeal down $6.00; Soyoil up 0.96.

For the month to date wheat prices are down 10 3/4 in SRW, down 16 3/4 in HRW, down 0 in HRS; Corn is up 1/2; Soybeans up 45; Soymeal up $4.10; Soyoil up 2.86.

Year-To-Date nearby futures are up 4.0% in SRW, up 2.6% in HRW, down 1.0% in HRS; Corn is down 2.7%; Soybeans up 7.5%; Soymeal up 1.1%; Soyoil up 17.1%.

Chinese Ag futures (MAY 26) Soybeans up 67 yuan; Soymeal down 12; Soyoil down 8; Palm oil down 34; Corn up 4 — Malaysian Palm is down 65.

Malaysian palm oil prices overnight were down 65 ringgit (-1.56%) at 4095.

There were no changes in registrations. Registration total: 34 SRW Wheat contracts; 94 Oats; 9 Corn; 301 Soybeans; 910 Soyoil; 163 Soymeal; 17 HRW Wheat.

Preliminary changes in futures Open Interest as of February 9 were: SRW Wheat down 5,866 contracts, HRW Wheat down 4,119, Corn up 5,170, Soybeans up 5,376, Soymeal down 7,029, Soyoil down 4,852.

 

DAILY WEATHER HEADLINES: 10 FEBRUARY 2026

• NORTH AMERICA: Rains in the southern Plains over the coming days will improve soil moisture for dormant wheat
• SOUTH AMERICA: A trend to dry conditions over the next 10 days in Central West Brazil will be favorable for local corn and soybean crops following the recent rains
• EAST ASIA: There should be no cold risks across China in mid-February, as abnormal warmth is likely to persist with temperatures reaching 5-10 °C above normal
• SOUTHEAST ASIA: High rainfall in southern Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia will increase the risk of flooding but will replenish soil moisture levels
• TROPICS: Tropical Cyclone Gezani is forecast to rapidly strengthen to Category 3, making landfall in Madagascar and affecting Mozambique later this week

CONTINUED MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL IN CENTER‑WEST AND SOUTHEAST BRAZIL THROUGH LATE FEBRUARY

Weather Anomaly Severity: High

Crops impacted: corn, soybeans, coffee, sugar

Preferred model for the next 5 days: EC Op

Preferred model for the 6-15 day timeframe: EC Ens

Forecast confidence: High through 1-10-days; Low in 11-15-days

Model Change (from previous update): No change

  

Brazil – Rio Grande do Sul and Parana: Mostly dry Monday. Isolated showers south Tuesday-Thursday. Scattered showers Friday. Temperatures near to above normal through Friday.

Brazil – Mato Grosso, MGDS and southern Goias: Scattered showers through Friday. Temperatures near normal through Friday. 

Argentina – Cordoba, Santa Fe, Northern Buenos Aires: Isolated showers through Thursday. Mostly dry Friday. Temperatures near to below normal through Wednesday, below normal Thursday-Friday.

Argentina – La Pampa, Southern Buenos Aires: Isolated showers through Wednesday. Mostly dry Thursday-Friday. Temperatures near to below normal through Tuesday, below normal Wednesday-Friday.

Northern Plains:  Isolated showers Monday. Mostly dry Tuesday-Wednesday. Isolated showers Thursday. Mostly dry Friday. Temperatures above to well above normal through Friday. Outlook: Mostly dry Saturday. Isolated to scattered showers Sunday-Wednesday. Temperatures above to well above normal Saturday-Monday, near to above normal Tuesday-Wednesday.

Central/Southern Plains: Mostly dry Monday. Isolated showers south Tuesday. Mostly dry Wednesday. Isolated showers Thursday. Scattered showers south Friday. Temperatures above to well above normal through Friday. Outlook: Scattered showers south Saturday. Mostly dry Sunday-Monday. Isolated to scattered showers Tuesday-Wednesday. Temperatures above to well above normal Saturday-Wednesday.  

Midwest – West: Mostly dry through Wednesday. Isolated to scattered showers Thursday-Friday. Temperatures above to well above normal through Friday.

Midwest – East: Mostly dry through Wednesday. Isolated to scattered showers Thursday. Mostly dry Friday. Temperatures above normal west and below normal east Monday, above normal Tuesday, near to above normal Wednesday, near to below normal Thursday-Friday. Outlook: Scattered showers Saturday-Sunday. Mostly dry Sunday-Monday. Isolated to scattered showers Tuesday-Wednesday. Temperatures near to above normal Saturday-Sunday, above normal Monday-Wednesday.

 

The player sheet for 2/9 had funds: net sellers of 500 contracts of SRW wheat, buyers of 2,000 corn, sellers of 5,000 soybeans, sellers of 3,000 soymeal, and buyers of 12,000 soyoil.

TENDERS

• SOYBEAN SALE: The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed private export sales of 264,000 metric tons of U.S. soybeans to China for shipment in the 2025/26 marketing year.

PENDING TENDERS

• WHEAT TENDER: Jordan’s state grain buyer issued an international tender to buy up to 120,000 metric tons of milling wheat that can be sourced from optional origins, European traders said. The deadline for submission of price offers is February 10.
• FEED BARLEY TENDER: Turkey’s state grain board TMO issued an international tender to purchase and import about 255,000 metric tons of animal feed barley, European traders said. The deadline for submission of price offers is February 11.
• FEED BARLEY TENDER: Jordan’s state grains buyer has issued an international tender to purchase up to 120,000 metric tons of animal feed barley, European traders said. The deadline for submission of price offers is February 11.

 

 

 

TODAY

US Inspected 1.308m Tons of Corn for Export, 1.136m of Soybeans

In week ending Feb. 5, according to the USDA’s weekly inspections report.

• Wheat: 580k tons vs 331k the previous wk, 570k a yr ago
• Corn: 1,308k tons vs 1,147k the previous wk, 1,365k a yr ago
• Soybeans: 1,136k tons vs 1,318k the previous wk, 1,098k a yr ago

 

US Corn, Soybean, Wheat Inspections by Country: Feb. 5

Following is a summary of USDA inspections for week ending Feb. 5 of corn, soybeans and wheat for export, from the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, known as GIPSA.

• Soybeans for China-bound shipments made up 747k tons of the 1.14m total inspected
• Mexico was the top destination for corn inspections, Philippines led in wheat

 

US CROP EXPORTS: 264,000 Tons of Soybeans to China

The US Department of Agriculture on Monday announces export sales activity on its website:

• 264,000 tons of soybeans to China for the 2025-26 marketing year
  • This is the first flash sale announcement of soybeans to China since Jan. 15

 

Bessent says senior Treasury staff visited China last week

Senior U.S. Treasury staff visited China last week “to strengthen channels of communication” between Washington and Beijing, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday.

Officials from the world’s two largest economies discussed preparations for the next high-level meeting between Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, Bessent said in a post on X.

“We look forward to continued constructive engagement between both sides, and to maintain our positive forward momentum over the coming weeks as we approach our next face-to-face engagement,” he said in the post.

Treasury had no immediate comment on when Bessent would be meeting with He, or where. Any such meeting would likely occur in coming weeks, helping to lay the groundwork for a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to China in April.

Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer spoke with He by phone in December, and both sides agreed to promote the stable development of bilateral trade and economic ties, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported at the time.

Bessent last met with He in Malaysia in October, when both sides discussed a framework agreement under which Beijing agreed to defer export controls on rare earth supplies and Washington dropped a 100% U.S. tariff on Chinese goods.

The U.S. Treasury Secretary has said in recent weeks that China is on track to meet its commitments under a U.S.-China trade agreement, including the purchase of 12 million metric tons of U.S. soybeans, by the end of February.

 

Brazil’s 2025/26 soybean harvest reaches 16% of area, AgRural says

Brazilian farmers had harvested 16% of their 2025/26 soybean crop as of last Thursday, agribusiness consultancy AgRural said on Monday, up 6 percentage points from the previous week and just topping the 15% reported a year earlier.

• Work continues to be driven by Mato Grosso state, with harvesting conducted during breaks in the strong rainfall, AgRural said.
• The consultancy said producers in southern Mato Grosso do Sul and in Rio Grande do Sul states face concerns over drought and heat.
• Planting of Brazil’s second corn crop reached 22% of the estimated area, compared with 20% a year earlier, AgRural said.
• The first corn harvest hit 15%, ahead of the 9% seen a year earlier.

 

Cold Weather Damages Some Chinese Rapeseed Crops: CASDE Report

Some rapeseed crops in China have been damaged by colder weather, though the overall impact was limited, according to a monthly report from the country’s agriculture ministry released on Tuesday.

• Low temperatures, rain and snow led to crop damage in provinces including Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi, the ministry said in its China Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report
• Estimates for output, imports and consumption of corn, soybeans, and edible oils in 2025/26 remained unchanged

 

China maintains forecasts for 2025/26 corn, soybean crops in February outlook

China’s agriculture ministry kept its forecasts for corn, soybeans and other key crops in the 2025/26 crop year unchanged in its February outlook released on Tuesday.

 

China’s palm oil demand to drop as cheaper alternatives rise, analysts say

China’s demand for palm oil is expected to further decline this year as the country shifts to cheaper canola and soybean alternatives, palm oil traders and analysts said on Monday.

China’s recent trade deal with Canada has enabled imports of cheaper canola oil along with increased purchases of Australian canola, and coupled with higher soybean imports and crushing activity, will significantly impact palm oil imports this year, said Anilkumar Bagani, commodity research head at Mumbai-based brokerage Sunvin Group.

Chinese demand has been rising due to the festive season according to a palm oil analyst from a major Malaysian planter, though imports will not be as high as before as they have other options like canola and soybean.

The analyst added that Chinese demand has been reduced to core demand only due to the large disparity between contract prices.

“I think the Chinese, in a way, they are not really that desperate because they have a lot of options as compared to India. … The Chinese side are still pretty much looking at the Dalian prices,” the analyst told Reuters ahead of an industry conference in Kuala Lumpur.

The analyst added that competitive prices from Indonesian palm oil has also affected Malaysia’s palm oil exports to China.

The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) reported that exports to China fell 35.7% last year.

However, Malaysia could take advantage of Indonesia’s levy hike plan, scheduled in March, the analyst said.

An Indonesian analyst expects palm oil prices to slightly decline this year as strong palm output and strong soyoil output weighed down on the market.

Despite a decline in palm prices, China is expected to continue increasing its soyoil imports which will limit demand for palm oil, the Indonesian analyst said.

 

Malaysia’s January palm oil stocks fall for first time in 11 months

• Palm oil stocks fall 7.72% m/m to 2.82 million tons
• Jan output falls 13.78% m/m to 1.58 million tons
• Exports rise 11.44% m/m to 1.48 million tons

Malaysia’s palm oil stocks fell in January for the first time in 11 months, driven by a surge in exports despite production sliding to a 10-month low, the industry regulator said.

Falling inventories in the world’s second-biggest producer of the tropical oil could support benchmark Malaysian futures <FCPOc3>.[POI/]

Malaysia’s palm oil stocks in January slipped 7.72% from the previous month’s seven-year highto 2.82 million metric tons, the lowest since October 2025, the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) said on Tuesday.

Crude palm oil production was down 13.78% in January from December to 1.58 million tons, the lowest since March 2025, while exports surged 11.44% to 1.48 million tons, the highest since October, the MPOB said.

A Reuters survey had forecast inventories at 2.91 million tons, with output seen at 1.61 million tons and exports at 1.42 million tons.

“Stocks fell more than market expectations, and this trend is likely to continue in the coming months as exports gain momentum,” said a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trade house.

Palm oil is currently more than $100 a ton cheaper than rival soyoil for buyers in Asia, Africa and Europe, a discount large enough to lift demand in the months ahead, he said.

India’s palm oil imports surged 51% in January to a four-month high, as the tropical oil’s discount to rival soyoil prompted refiners to ramp up purchases.

“Malaysia’s palm oil output was solid in the December quarter, but it’s losing steam, and we might see another drop in February,” said a Kuala Lumpur-based trader.

The following is a breakdown of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board figures and Reuters estimates for January (volumes in tons):

 

Palm Oil May Drop Below 4,000 Ringgit on Soy Oil Supply Gain

Palm oil may drop below 4,000 ringgit a ton by April as it competes with a flood of South American soy oil in price-sensitive markets like India, according to veteran trader, Dorab Mistry.

The tropical oil will have to become cheaper to attract demand especially from India, Mistry, a director at Godrej International Ltd., said in an interview on Monday. Palm futures traded at an average 4,213 ringgit ($1,072) per ton over the past year and were at 4,155 ringgit a ton in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

Rival oils, palm and soy, have been locked in a price duel in recent months, which has prompted buyers to switch cargoes as spreads and supplies fluctuate. Palm is usually the cheapest edible oil and the default choice for India’s refiners and food makers, but that advantage has eroded at times, sending buyers toward South American soy oil when the gap narrows.

“Since last year, everything has turned upside down,” Mistry said, referring to the change in purchasing patterns and trade flows of vegetable oils. Competition between palm and soy oil will intensify in the coming months as India now sources soy oil from at least 10 countries, up from just three previously, he said.

India is the world’s biggest importer of palm, soybean and sunflower oil, buying around 16 million tons in total annually, mostly from producers in Southeast Asia and South America. The country will likely import more palm and soy oil this marketing year, to replace sunflower oil whose prices have spiked, Mistry said. Palm imports are seen at about 9 million tons, while soy oil will be about 5.5 million tons, he said.

Meanwhile, production of palm oil in the world’s biggest grower, Indonesia, will likely be flat in 2026 at around 50 million tons, due to the ongoing government seizures of plantation land, Mistry said.

The Indonesian government’s crackdown on malfeasance in the plantation and other resource sectors has spooked investors, curbed investment into fields and fertilizers, and prompted some farmers to stop work, he said.

“The plan to seize another 5 million hectares in 2026 makes people frightened,” Mistry said ahead of a key palm industry conference this week. “There will be no new investment. Nobody is expanding. The growth is gone.”

Mistry added the market will also be watching for updates on Indonesia’s biodiesel mandate, an expansion of which has been shelved for this year, and on the US’ biofuels policy, which is expected in March.

 

Malaysia’s ageing palm oil plantations to hit 2 million hectares by 2027, says MPOC

• More than a third of plantations require revamp to protect production, official says
• Output could reach 26 million tons by 2035 with replanting using higher-yield materials
• Indonesia biofuel plan postponement bearish for palm oil market

Malaysia’s ageing oil palm plantations are expected to rise to 2 million hectares by 2027 from the current level of around 1.7 million hectares, an industry official said on Tuesday, putting pressure on output from the world’s second largest producer.

About 35% of Malaysian palm oil plantations will be 19 years or older by 2027, compared to around 30% this year, said Carl Bek-Nielsen, chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council, during an industry conference in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

He also warned that about 800,000 hectares of the plantations were infected by the ganoderma fungal disease.

“Our yields have plateaued, our yields have stagnated and from a certain degree our yields have also regressed. The palm industry must do more to raise its yield per hectare,” Bek-Nielsen said.

He said he believed the industry could use high yielding planting materialsto increase the average yield to 4.5 metric tons of crude palm oil per hectare, up from the current 3.5 tons, and bring total output to 26 million tons by 2035.

Malaysia produced 20.3 million tons of crude palm oil in 2025, according to Malaysian Palm Oil Board data.

The government has allocated 20 million ringgit in 2026 to support automation and mechanisation in palm oil plantation technologies in an effort to boost production, Malaysia’s Plantation and Commodities Minister Noraini Ahmad said earlier at the conference.

Bek-Nielsen added that land seizures in rival producer Indonesia will see its supply suffer over the next six to eight months as companies hold back on plantation upkeep and fertiliser inputs.

Last year, Indonesia’s forestry task force seized around 4.1 million hectares said to be operating illegally in forest areas, targeting both major palm oil companies and smallholder farmers. The enforcement campaign is set to expand further this year, with the government looking to seize an additional 4 million to 5 million hectares (12 million acres) of plantations.

Bek-Nielsen said that the postponement of Indonesia’s B50 programme would also be bearish for the market. He added that crude palm oil (CPO) prices were expected to trade at between 3,900 ringgit to 4,000 ringgit per ton this year. The average CPO closing price last year stood at 4,233 ringgit.

Last month, Indonesia announced that it was scrapping plans to implement the mandatory B50 grade for palm oil-based diesel this year due to technical and funding concerns.

The government said its B40 mandate, which uses a blend of 40% palm oil-based biodiesel, will remain in place.

 

Malaysia Expects Energy Transition to Boost Vegetable Oil Demand

The global energy transition is increasingly influencing and driving demand for vegetable oils, according to Noraini Ahmad, Malaysia’s minister of plantation and commodities.

• The demand is starting to extend to sectors beyond food and traditional biofuel markets, the minister said at a key palm industry conference in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday
• Sustainable aviation fuel has emerged as a critical pathway to reduce emissions in the aviation sector, driving interest in renewable and waste-based feedstocks such as used cooking oil
• This growing demand has elevated the strategic importance of used cooking oil within the broader biofuels and renewable energy sector
• It also highlights the need for transparent, reliable and well-functioning markets to support price discovery, risk management and investment planning across the SAF value chain
• Malaysia continues to position itself within the renewable feedstock landscape, ensuring that sustainability, traceability and food security considerations remain balanced, she said

 

Palm Oil to Trade at 3,900-4,300 MYR/T This Year: Bek-Nielsen

Palm oil prices will likely trade between 3,900-4,300 ringgit/ton this year, according to Carl Bek-Nielsen, chief executive director of United Plantations Bhd.

• The forecast is subject to good weather and to the ringgit trading at more than 3.90 per US dollar, Bek-Nielsen said at an industry conference in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday
• There’s major uncertainty surrounding Indonesia’s land confiscation, which is compromising plantation upkeep and input of fertilizers, he said
• Global palm oil production is expected to slow in the years to 2030, versus an average growth of 2 million tons per year in the last decade to 2025
• NOTE: Palm futures traded at 4,132 ringgit ($1,053) per ton on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives as of 12:00 p.m. local time

 

Indonesia distributes $648 million in subsidies for palm oil replanting programme

Indonesia’s Estate Crop Fund (BPDP) has so far distributed 10.89 trillion rupiah ($648.60 million) from a fund aimed at encouraging palm oil smallholders to replant and boost yields, an official said on Tuesday.

Indonesia, the world’s top palm oil producer, launched its smallholder replanting programme in late 2017, but take-up of the schemehas been slow because of the initial downturn in production and income for smallholders and complicated administration requirements at the early stage of the scheme.

The scheme is aimed at improving yields from small farmers, who contribute around 40% of Indonesia’s palm oil output.

The fund distributed so far covers an area of around 384,000 hectares (948,885 acres) of smallholder plantations, BPDP official Zaid Burhan Ibrahim told reporters.

Zaid said there is still around 2 million hectares of plantation area that could be funded by the replanting programme. In 2026, the agency expects to distribute funds for around 50,000 hectares of replanting.

BPDP collects levies from palm oil exporters and distributes the funds to support key programmes including replanting and to help meet the country’s mandated requirements for biodiesel in energy production. Zaid said around 31 trillion rupiah was collected in levies in 2025.

The government is aiming to help increase smallholder yields to around three tons per hectare per year from 2.5 tons per hectare in 2024.

 

Indonesia Palm Fund Disbursed 31T Rupiah in Biodiesel Incentives

The Indonesia Plantation Fund Management Agency, known as the BPDP, distributed about 31t rupiah in biodiesel incentives last year, according to Zaid Burhan Ibrahim, the agency’s director of finance, risk management and general affairs.

• ⁠The biodiesel mandate has helped stabilize domestic palm oil prices by absorbing supply and reducing reliance on imported fuel, he says in a briefing on Tuesday
• ⁠BPDP also distributed 10.9t rupiah in replanting aid to 169,000 farmers across 384,000 ha, agency data show
• Agency expects 50,000 ha of smallholder oil palm plantations to be replanted this year, up from about 42,000 ha last year

 

Malaysia Jan. Palm Oil Stockpiles 2.815m Tons: MPOB

Malaysia’s palm oil stockpiles were 2.815m tons in January, according to Malaysian Palm Oil Board.

• Palm oil production was 1.577m tons
• Palm oil exports were 1.484m tons

 

French Soft Winter Wheat Plantings Seen Up 2.8 % Y/y: Ministry

French farmers are seen planting 4.6m hectares of soft winter wheat for harvesting in 2026, mostly unchanged from a December estimate and up 2.8% y/y, according to an agriculture ministry report on Tuesday.

• That’s roughly in line with the five-year average
• NOTE: The vast majority of France’s soft-wheat crop is winter grain; a small amount is spring sown
• Total winter-grains plantings seen unchanged from a December estimate at 6.4m hectares, and up 3.2% y/y
• So far, growing conditions are seen as favorable
• Winter-barley area estimated at 1.26m hectares, up 5.3%
• Rapeseed plantings seen at 1.37m hectares, up 8% y/y

 

USDA says fly production plant to open by end of 2027 to fight screwworm

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will open a facility in Texas by the end of next year that produces sterile flies intended to fight the flesh-eating parasite New World screwworm, Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Monday.

Rollins gave an update on the $750 million plant after announcing last August that USDA planned to build it in response to northward spread of the pest in Mexico toward the U.S. border.

Screwworms are parasitic flies whose females lay eggs in wounds on warm-blooded animals, often livestock. Once the eggs hatch, hundreds of screwworm larvae use their sharp mouths to burrow through living flesh, eventually killing their host if left untreated.

USDA produces 100 million sterile flies per week at a facility in Panama and disperses them in Mexico to prevent wild screwworm flies from reproducing.

The agency opened a dispersal facility for sterile flies in southern Texas on Monday, but experts have said USDA urgently needs to produce many more.

 

 

 

 

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