For the week ending Aug. 17, total inspections of export grain (corn, wheat, and soybeans) from major U.S. export regions reached 2 million metric tons (mmt), up 5% from the previous week, but down 30% from the same time last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's weekly Grain Transportation Report.
Total inspections for the week ended Aug. 17 were unchanged from the three-year average. Wheat and soybean inspections increased 14% and 13%, respectively, from the previous week while corn inspections decreased 9%, according to the USDA. Total Pacific Northwest (PNW) grain inspections increased 10% from the past week due primarily to notable increases in wheat and soybean shipments. Inspections in the Mississippi Gulf increased 5%. Outstanding (unshipped) export sales were up for wheat, but down for corn and soybeans.
For the week ending Aug. 19, barge grain movements were one million tons, 8% higher than the last week and down 12% from the same period last year, the USDA said. For the week ending Aug. 19, 649 grain barges moved down river, up 7% from last week. A total of 677 grain barges were unloaded in New Orleans, up 13% from the previous week.
