The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture Grain Transportation Report reveals a complex picture for major grain commodities in the week ending January 30, 2025. Total unshipped balances of corn, soybeans, and wheat for the 2024/25 marketing year stood at 36.33 million metric tons (mmt), down 1 percent from the previous week but up 8 percent year-over-year.
Corn export sales showed strength, increasing 9 percent from the previous week to 1.48 mmt. However, soybean and wheat sales experienced declines, with soybeans dropping 12 percent to 0.39 mmt and wheat falling 4 percent to 0.44 mmt.
Transportation data indicates varied performance across different modes:
Rail: U.S. Class I railroads originated 25,393 grain carloads for the week ending February 1, marking a 15 percent increase from the previous week and a 1 percent rise year-over-year. However, this figure remains 3 percent below the 3-year average.
Barge: Grain movements totaled 623,116 tons for the week ending February 8, up 1 percent from the previous week and 7 percent higher than the same period last year. The number of grain barges moving downriver decreased slightly to 389.
Ocean Freight: In the Gulf, 33 oceangoing grain vessels were loaded for the week ending February 6, a 3 percent increase from the same period last year. However, projections for the next 10 days show a 20 percent decrease in expected loadings compared to last year.
Freight rates saw increases, with the cost of shipping grain from the U.S. Gulf to Japan rising 2 percent to $45.50 per metric ton, while rates from the Pacific Northwest to Japan increased 4 percent to $26.75 per metric ton.
The U.S. average diesel price continued its upward trend, reaching $3.665 per gallon for the week ending February 10, an increase of 0.5 cents from the previous week but still 44.4 cents below last year's price.
These fluctuations in export sales and transportation metrics highlight the dynamic nature of the grain market and underscore the importance of efficient logistics in maintaining U.S. competitiveness in global agricultural trade.
