Farmer preparations for the planting season have contributed to slow grain movements and reduced transportation activity during the past week, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
During the week ending April 26, the total tonnage of grain transiting upper Mississippi, Illinois and Ohio Rivers to New Orleans was 624,000 tons, down from 672,000 tons the previous week, according to the USDA’s Grain Transportation Report released today.
Grain-vessel loading activities were down in the U.S. Gulf and Pacific Northwest ports, the USDA reports. During the week ending April 24, 39 vessels were loaded in the U.S. Gulf, compared to 49 a week earlier. The number of vessels in PNW ports as of April 24 was 16, compared to 23 a week earlier.
Meanwhile, barge and ocean freight rates for shipping grains are declining, according to the USDA. Though corn planting has been delayed in many States this year due to cool, wet weather, field preparations are underway.
During the week ending April 26, barge grain movements totaled 623,805 tons—7.2 percent lower than the previous week but 428 percent higher than the same period last year, according to the Grain Transportation Report. During the week ending April 26, 404 grain barges moved down river, down 8.4 percent from last week; 544 grain barges were unloaded in New Orleans, down 12.7 percent from the previous week, according to the USDA.
