USDA: January Ag Exports Strong

They may be late, but the USDA has finally released the January trade numbers.  And despite tariffs and other international issues, USDA trade economist Cameron Daugherty says trade figures across the board increased 4% from January 2018 to this year; coming in at $11.9 billion.

And that's just for January.

He noted if you look at the fiscal 2019 numbers, October through January, "Were seeing numbers down 6% at $47.5B."

And in the overall U-S Ag export situation, there's a reoccurring theme where soy beans are taking a hit and corn making a hit.  First, soy bean exports through January are down 42% in dollar value at $6.8 billion.

"Corn is up 65% at $3.5B."

Wheat exports running 24% ahead of a year ago, cotton down 12%.  Meanwhile, on the import side; U.S. Ag imports continue to climb, leaving the U-S January Ag surplus less than half of what it was a year ago.