Barged grain movements increased significantly while rail shipments declined, according to the Agricultural Marketing Service’s Grain Transportation Report released Thursday.
For the week ending July 26, barged grain movements totaled 843,450 tons, rising 15% from the previous week and 28% from the same period last year. The report noted 542 grain barges moved downriver, 78 more than last week, with 690 barges unloaded in the New Orleans region, a 16% weekly increase.
Rail transportation showed mixed results. U.S. Class I railroads originated 25,155 grain carloads during the week ending July 19, down 9% from the previous week but up 25% from last year and 26% above the three-year average.
Ocean shipping activity increased, with 26 oceangoing grain vessels loaded in the Gulf during the week ending July 24, 18% more than the same period last year. The rate for shipping grain from the U.S. Gulf to Japan rose 3% to $54.50 per metric ton.
The report also indicated unshipped balances of corn and soybeans totaled 13.92 million metric tons, up 27% from last year, while wheat export sales for marketing year 2025/26 increased 44% from the previous week.
Diesel fuel prices decreased slightly to $3.805 per gallon, but remained 3.7 cents above last year’s price.
