Urbana, Illinois
May 12, 2008
Corn is responsible for most of
the uncertainty in the market, and much of that is associated
with the U.S. situation, said a University of
Illinois Extension marketing specialist.
"Late corn planting suggests that planted acreage may not
significantly exceed producer intentions of only 86 million
acres," said Darrel Good. "Based on an analysis of trend yields
since 1990, and adjusting for 2008 planting progress, the USDA
forecast the 2008 yield at 153.9 bushels. That projection is
above those based on a longer trend and appears a little
optimistic.
"Stocks of U.S. corn at the end of the 2008-09 marketing year
are projected at only 763 million bushels, or 6 percent of
projected use. On the demand side, the biggest question may be
about likely feed and residual use of corn."
Use during the 2008-09 marketing year is projected at 5.3
billion bushels, 850 million less than projected for the current
year, but only 298 million less than used in 2006-07.
"The wide swing in use the past two years means there is some
uncertainty about the size of the feed demand base," he said.
"How much reduction is really required and how much livestock
liquidation has already started? Price behavior following the
release of the USDA report suggests that the market believes
that much of the needed rationing of use is already under way."
Good's comments came as he reviewed the May 9 releases of USDA
updated projections for the 2007-08 U.S. and world crop supply,
consumption, and price and made first projections for the
2008-09 marketing year.
For soybeans, the USDA sees a sharp increase in the size of the
U.S. crop in 2008, a continuation of very strong demand for U.S
soybeans, a very modest build-up in U.S. inventories from the
extremely low level expected this year, and a continuation of
high prices.
"The average price received by U.S. producers for the 2008 crop
is forecast in a range of $10.50 to $12, compared to $10 for the
2007 crop," said Good. "Supply and consumption forecast for
2008-09 were not made for the rest of the world."
For corn, the USDA expects a much smaller U.S. crop in 2008, a
larger crop in other parts of the world, a substantial decline
in U.S. exports and domestic feeding during the 2008-09
marketing year, a large increase in domestic use of corn for
ethanol production, a large decline in U.S. inventories, and a
continuation of high prices.
The average price received by producers for the 2008 crop is
forecast in a range of $5 to $6, compared to a range of $4.10 to
$4.40 for the 2007 crop.
"Since it is still very early in the 2008-09 growing season and
since U.S. corn planting has been generally slow, a lot of
uncertainty surrounds the USDA projections for the upcoming
marketing year," said Good. "This uncertainty is revealed in the
futures market where prices for the 2008 crops of wheat,
soybeans, and corn all exceed the price implied by the upper end
of the average farm price projected by the USDA.
"Most of the uncertainty lies on the supply side of the
projections, but there are also numerous issues surrounding
demand prospects."
For wheat, much of the projection uncertainty involves the
Australian crop, which is currently being planted. Following two
years of drought and small crops, expectations are for a
significant rebound in Australian production and a doubling of
exports. Dry weather, however, is still of some concern in
eastern production regions.
Large increases in production are also expected in Europe and
the Ukraine, where weather issues are minimal at this time.
In the case of soybeans, U.S. production prospects are clouded
by both acreage and yield uncertainty. Continued delays in
planting corn could add to the already large increase planned
for soybean acreage, while delayed planting of soybeans might
also lead to concerns about 2008 yield prospects.
Based on an analysis of regional trend yields since 1989, the
USDA projects an average U.S. yield of 42.1 bushels in 2008.
That is 0.9 bushels above the 2007 average and 0.9 bushels below
the record yield of 2005. Exports of U.S. soybeans are expected
to remain large in 2008-09, presumably due to a continuation of
strong demand from China.
"The size of the 2009 South American crop will have some
influence on demand for U.S. soybeans as well," said Good. "The
domestic crush of soybeans is expected to increase to a new
record level in 2008-09, driven by increasing domestic use of
soybean meal.
"The projected increase in domestic meal use is in contrast to
the decline projected for grain feeding and is very dependent on
the rate of expansion in broiler production--projected at 0.8
percent in 2009--and the rate of decline in pork
production--projected at 2.4 percent in 2009."
By Bob Sampson, University of
Illinois |
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