Global Ag News for Apr 25.2025

TOP HEADLINES

Ukraine grain sowing pace lags by 17% due to cold weather in early April, ministry says

Ukrainian farmers have sown 2 million hectares of grain as of April 24, however the sowing acreage is 17% less than at the same date in 2024, the agriculture ministry said on Friday.

The area included 702,100 hectares of spring barley, 199,800 hectares of spring wheat, 705,000 hectares of corn, 201,800 hectares of peas and 154,200 hectares of oats, the ministry said on Telegram messenger.

The first deputy farm minister Taras Vysotskiy said this month that snow across most Ukrainian regions and unusually cold weather in early April had delayed the spring sowing campaign by art least one week.

Ukraine’s state agricultural meteorologists said this week that moisture reserves in the soil in most Ukrainian regions were sufficient or optimal as of mid-April.

The future harvest depends to a significant extent on the plants having enough moisture for germination and further growth.

The ministry also said that farmers had sown 1.24 million hectare of sunflower and 187,600 hectares of soybeans.

APK-Inform consultancy said last month that the area sown for soybeans could decrease by 10% to 13% to between 2.3 and 2.35 million hectares in 2025 due to a drop in soybean prices caused by a record high harvest in 2024.

It added that Ukraine’s soybean harvest in 2025 could be between 5.8 and 6.2 million metric tons and the final volume will depend on the presence or absence of rain in May and June, which will determine yields.

The consultancy also noted that Ukraine was likely to increase its sunflower seed harvest by 14% to 15.2 million metric tons in 2025 thanks to a larger sowing area. Sunoil output could add 14% and reach 6.54 million tons.

 

 

FUTURES & WEATHER

Wheat prices overnight are up 3 3/4 in SRW, up 3 3/4 in HRW, up 4 1/4 in HRS; Corn is up 2 1/2; Soybeans up 3 1/4; Soymeal down $0.80; Soyoil up 0.80.

For the week so far wheat prices are down 18 1/4 in SRW, down 20 in HRW, down 9 1/2 in HRS; Corn is down 4 1/2; Soybeans up 15 3/4; Soymeal down $7.40; Soyoil up 2.35.

For the month to date wheat prices are down 2 1/4 in SRW, down 15 1/2 in HRW, up 5 1/4 in HRS; Corn is up 23 1/4; Soybeans up 37; Soymeal down $3.50; Soyoil up 5.48.

Year-To-Date nearby futures are down 3.9% in SRW, down 3.8% in HRW, down 0.1% in HRS; Corn is up 4.5%; Soybeans up 5.6%; Soymeal down 6.5%; Soyoil up 26.3%.

Chinese Ag futures (JUL 25) Soybeans down 23 yuan; Soymeal down 14; Soyoil up 102; Palm oil up 142; Corn up 5 — Malaysian Palm is up 10.

Malaysian palm oil prices overnight were up 10 ringgit (+0.25%) at 4046.

 

There were no changes in registrations. Registration total: 459 SRW Wheat contracts; 0 Oats; 223 Corn; 360 Soybeans; 1,359 Soyoil; 1,170 Soymeal; 344 HRW Wheat.

Preliminary changes in futures Open Interest as of April 24 were: SRW Wheat up 839 contracts, HRW Wheat down 93, Corn down 38,293, Soybeans up 2,829, Soymeal down 10,915, Soyoil up 1,180.

 

DAILY WEATHER HEADLINES: 24 APRIL 2025

• NORTH AMERICA: Dry weather could dominate the U.S. forecast during May, as highlighted in our recent monthly North America outlook
• SOUTH AMERICA: Dry weather remains anticipated across most of the Pampas region of Argentina through the next 10 days, favoring harvest progress throughout
• BLACK SEA: Ukraine will experience dry weather through the next 10+ days, while wet weather is expected in many Russian crop regions during the next two weeks
• AFRICA: Wet weather is expected across much of West Africa during the next 10 days, favoring cocoa crops throughout

 

NORTH AMERICA WEATHER UPDATE FOR 24 APRIL 2025

What to Watch:

• Warmth to prevail across North America through two weeks
• Mixed precipitation pattern ahead

 

WET SPELLS EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL BRAZIL AND NORTH ARGENTINA

What to Watch:

• Dry weather in the southwest Pampas,  favorable to corn harvesting
• Wet spells in Central Brazil

 

The player sheet for 4/24 had funds: net buyers of 6,500 corn, sellers of 2,000 soybeans, sellers of 2,500 soymeal, and buyers of 7,000 soyoil.

 

TENDERS

• Iranian state-owned animal feed importer SLAL is believed to have purchased about 60,000 metric tons of animal feed barley in an international tender this week

 PENDING TENDERS

• RICE TENDERS: South Korea’s state-backed Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corp issued international tenders to purchase about 80,000 metric tons of rice
• CORN, BARLEY AND SOYMEAL TENDERS: Iranian state-owned animal feed importer SLAL issued international tenders to purchase up to 120,000 metric tons of animal feed corn, 120,000 tons of feed barley and 120,000 tons of soymeal
• WHEAT TENDER: The offer deadline in an international tender from a state grains buyer in Syria to purchase about 100,000 metric tons of soft milling wheat was amended to April 21.
• WHEAT TENDER: Jordan’s state grain buyer issued an international tender to buy up to 120,000 metric tons of milling wheat which can be sourced from optional origins.

 

 

 

TODAY

US Export Sales of Soybeans, Corn and Wheat by Country

The following shows US export sales of soybeans, corn and wheat by biggest net buyers for week ending April 17, according to data on the USDA’s website.

• Top buyer of soybeans: Mexico with 88k tons
• Top buyer of corn: Japan with 629k tons
• Top buyer of wheat: Japan with 94k tons

 

US Export Sales of Pork and Beef by Country

The following shows US export sales of pork and beef product by biggest net buyers for week ending April 17, according to data on the USDA’s website.

• Japan bought 6.3k tons of the 5.8k tons of pork sold in the week
• South Korea led in beef purchases

 

Brazil to export more soy to China amid trade war, Abiove says

Brazil will export more soybeans to China and more soymeal to its main clients in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia in 2025 amid the trade war between the United States and China, a director at industry group Abiove said on Thursday.

A record soy harvest of nearly 170 million metric tons in Brazil will also contribute to the boost in shipments, Daniel Amaral, director of economics and regulatory affairs at Abiove, said.

“Regarding the trade war, the hope is that Brazil, based on its good relationship with trading partners… and as a major food supplier, can make our agribusiness grow even more,” Amaral said.

The outcome of the trade war is difficult to measure now, he said, as “the tariff issue is fluctuating a lot.”

But Brazil, the No. 1 soy producer and exporter worldwide, should be a reliable supplier with this harvest and its growing production, the Abiove director said.

The record soybean processing and harvest in 2025 should also boost the sector’s GDP this year, he added.

Brazil is expected to increase soybean oil exports due to the Brazilian government’s decision to keep the mandatory biodiesel blend at 14%, according to Amaral.

Less biodiesel in the fuel’s makeup means that Brazil will import more fossil fuels, he added, as more than 20% of the total consumed in 2024 was imported.

Prices of refined oil in the domestic market, which led the government to suspend the increase in the mixture this year, are already falling, which would allow the government to again take up plans for a 15% biodiesel mixture, Amaral noted.

 

Argentine Soybean, Corn Estimates April 24: Exchange

The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange releases weekly report on website.

• No changes to 2024-25 corn, soybean production
• Soybean harvest advanced to 14.5% complete vs 4.9% in the previous week

 

EU Trims Total Grain Production Forecast for 2025-26 Season

The EU’s total grain production is now estimated at 280.3m tons in the 2025-26 season that begins July, slightly below last month’s forecast of 280.7m tons, the European Commission said in its latest outlook for the upcoming season.

• That’s still 10% above the forecast for the 2024-25 season, and more than 3% above the five-year average
• Soft wheat output estimates were also cut to 126.3m tons from 126.5m ton
• Forecasts for the following crops remained steady:
  • Barley seen at 51.7m tons
  • Corn seen at 65m tons

 

Indonesia March Palm Oil Exports Fall 3.4% M/m: Intertek

Indonesia’s palm oil exports fell 3.4% m/m in March, according to Intertek Testing Services.

• Palm oil exports fell to 2.047m tons from 2.119m tons in February
• Crude palm oil shipments fell to 101,660 tons from 214,445 tons in February
• RBD palm olein shipments fell to 810,978 tons from 937,713 tons in February
• RBD palm oil shipments rose to 453,696 tons from 404,483 tons in February
• Palm oil sales to European Union rose to 324,421 tons from 294,584 tons in February
• Palm oil sales to India fell to 497,685 tons from 777,465 tons in February
• Palm oil sales to China fell to 230,035 tons from 284,550 tons in February

 

French Soft-Wheat Ratings Slightly Lower; Corn Planting Picks Up

Some 74% of France’s soft-wheat crop was rated in good or very good condition as of April 21, slightly lower than in previous week, FranceAgriMer data showed on Friday.

• NOTE: After sunny spells this week, weather is forecast to deteriorate in western regions this weekend, with more rains and risks of floods: Meteo France
• Corn planting was 50% complete, versus 39% the prior week and 24% last year

 

Philippines to Offer to Import More US Farm Goods During Talks

The Philippines will offer to purchase more US agriculture goods in a bid to lower the 17% tariff rate imposed on the Southeast Asian nation’s products, according to Trade Secretary Cristina Roque.

• “We will try to import more like soybeans, frozen meat, agriculture, (in) higher volume,” Roque tells reporters
• Roque says she’s scheduled to meet US commerce and trade officials during an April 28 to May 2 trip to the US
• “Our goal in the meeting is of course to get what’s best for our country, of course to bring down tariffs,” she says

 

LIVESTOCK: US Red Meat Production Rose 1.1% Y/y in March

Commercial beef and pork production rose to 4.42b pounds in March, according to the USDA’s monthly livestock slaughter report.

• Beef production up 2.1% y/y to 2.15b pounds
• March cattle slaughter totaled 2.48m head, a 1% decline from a year ago
  • Avg live weight rose by 34 pounds from last year to 1,426 pounds
• Pork production up 0.2% y/y to 2.25b pounds
• Hog slaughter fell 0.4% y/y to 10,414m head
  • Avg live weight was 291 pounds vs 289 pounds a year ago

 

US Miss. River Grain Shipments Fall, Barge Rates Decline: USDA

Barge shipments down the Mississippi river declined to 469k tons in the week ending April 19 from 562k tons the previous week, according to the USDA’s weekly grain transportation report.

• Barge shipments of corn fell 17% from the previous week
• Soybean shipments down 33.5% w/w
• St. Louis barge rates were $13.93 per short ton, a decline of $1.92 from the previous week

 

Brazil’s Copersucar Expands in US Ethanol With Green Plains Deal

An agreement of exclusivity with Green Plains Inc. will increase by more than 50% the volume of ethanol traded by Copersucar’s US-based subsidiary Eco-Energy, the Brazilian group said in a Thursday note.

• Under deal that became effect April 23, Eco-Energy was named the exclusive ethanol marketer for Green Plains
• With the deal, Eco-Energy will be responsible for 15% of the ethanol traded in the US market, group says
  • Unit’s annual ethanol volumes traded seen reaching an average of 9 billion liters: Copersucar
  • By adding the supplies from Green Plains’ distilleries to its current portfolio, Eco-Energy will tap volumes from a total of 26 plants

 

 

 

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