U.S. agricultural exports showed mixed results for the week ending September 17, with wheat sales dropping 18% while rice exports surged 49%, reflecting shifting global demand patterns across different commodity markets.
- Wheat sales declined 18% to 267,600 metric tons, down 13% from the four-week average, with Mexico, Japan, and Vietnam leading purchases
- Rice exports jumped 49% from the previous week to 54,200 MT in net sales, with South Korea accounting for 36,100 MT of purchases
- Soybean sales remained strong at 582,400 MT for 2026/2027, with China purchasing 311,800 MT despite some reductions
- Pork exports grew 16-17% from the previous week, reaching 32,100 MT, driven primarily by Mexican demand at 16,700 MT
- Cotton sales increased noticeably with 230,500 running bales sold, up from both the previous week and four-week average
U.S. agricultural export sales showed a mixed performance during the week ending September 17, with wheat and corn sales declining from previous weeks while rice and pork posted strong gains, according to the latest Weekly Export Sales Report from the Foreign Agricultural Service.
Wheat net sales totaled 267,600 metric tons for the 2026/2027 marketing year, down 18% from the previous week and 13% from the prior four-week average. Mexico led purchases with 113,400 MT, followed by Japan at 87,600 MT and Vietnam at 60,000 MT. Actual wheat exports reached 385,100 MT, with Mexico again taking the largest share at 160,000 MT.
Corn sales painted a similar picture, with net sales of 838,300 MT for 2026/2027. Japan topped the list of buyers at 247,000 MT, while Mexico purchased 211,000 MT and Colombia bought 201,300 MT. Total corn exports hit 1.9 million MT, primarily shipped to Japan, Mexico, and Colombia.
Rice provided one of the week’s bright spots. Net sales jumped 49% from the previous week to 54,200 MT, with South Korea accounting for 36,100 MT of that total. Rice exports surged even more dramatically, up 97% from the previous week to 79,200 MT. Colombia received 26,000 MT, Japan took 24,000 MT, and Mexico imported 18,100 MT.
Soybean sales reached 582,400 MT for 2026/2027, with China purchasing 311,800 MT despite some reductions. Japan bought 66,000 MT, and the Netherlands acquired 59,700 MT. Soybean exports totaled 775,400 MT, with China receiving 446,800 MT of the total.
The report included an adjustment noting that accumulated soybean exports to Mexico were reduced by 11,519 MT for the week ending September 10 due to an error in previous reporting.
Soybean cake and meal showed strong performance with net sales of 246,000 MT for 2026/2027. Colombia led purchases at 88,300 MT, followed by Canada at 57,100 MT and Mexico at 40,000 MT. Exports reached 360,400 MT, up 17% from the previous week.
Cotton sales told a positive story as well. Upland cotton net sales totaled 230,500 running bales for 2026/2027, up noticeably from both the previous week and the four-week average. Mexico purchased 69,800 RB, Vietnam bought 51,200 RB, and Pakistan acquired 44,500 RB. Cotton exports reached 164,700 RB, with Vietnam receiving 49,000 RB.
In the livestock sector, beef net sales of 9,400 MT for 2026 were down 34% from the previous week. Japan led with 2,300 MT, followed by South Korea at 2,100 MT and Hong Kong at 1,900 MT. Beef exports totaled 12,100 MT, up 22% from the previous week.
Pork showed stronger momentum with net sales of 35,300 MT for 2026, up 17% from the previous week. Mexico dominated purchases at 15,800 MT, while China bought 6,900 MT and Japan purchased 3,900 MT. Pork exports reached 32,100 MT, up 16% from the previous week, with Mexico receiving 16,700 MT.
The report also noted a daily reporting system transaction showing China purchased 111,000 MT of soybeans for the 2026/2027 marketing year.
