The USDA released its May World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) Report on Thursday. The report presents the USDA’s initial assessment of U.S. and world crop supply and demand prospects and U.S. prices for 2018/19.

Below is the report summary as presented by the USDA:

WHEAT

The 2018/19 U.S. wheat crop is projected at 1,821 million bushels, up 5 percent from the prior year. The year-over-year increase is due to greater harvested area and slightly higher yield. Reduced beginning stocks and imports bring total supplies down 49 million bushels from the previous year. The all wheat yield is projected at 46.8 bushels per acre, up slightly from 2017/18. Winter wheat yields are below average in the drought affected states of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Combined spring wheat and Durum production for 2018/19 is projected to increase 34 percent from the previous year’s low, which is due to both increased area and yield.

Total 2018/19 use is projected up 3 percent on higher food, feed and residual, and exports. Food use is projected at a record 965 million bushels, up 2.0 million bushels from the previous year’s revised estimate. U.S. feed and residual use is projected at 120 million bushels, up 50 million bushels from last year’s low level but still below the 5-year-average. Exports are projected at 925 million bushels, up 15 million bushels from the revised 2017/18 total. Ending stocks for 2018/19 are projected down 115 million bushels to 955 million, which if realized would be a 4-year-low. The season-average farm price is projected at a range of $4.50 to $5.50 per bushel. The midpoint of this range is up $0.30 per bushel from the previous year and the highest since 2014/15.

Global wheat supplies for 2018/19 are projected to increase fractionally as higher beginning stocks are partially offset by a production decline following last year’s record. Global wheat production is projected at 747.8 million tons, down 10.6 million from the previous year’s record. Most of the year-over-year production decline stems from a 13.0-million-ton reduction for Russia. Global wheat consumption is projected at a record 753.9 million tons, up 10.1 million from 2017/18. Global imports are expected to increase 3.5 million tons in 2018/19 for the sixth consecutive record. With total use rising faster than supplies, global ending stocks are projected to decline 6.1 million tons to 264.3 million.

COARSE GRAINS

The U.S. feed-grain outlook for 2018/19 is for lower production, domestic use, exports and ending stocks. The corn crop is projected at 14.0 billion bushels, down from last year with a lower forecast area and yield. The yield projection of 174.0 bushels per acre is based on a weather-adjusted trend assuming normal planting progress and summer growing season weather, estimated using the 1988-2017 time period. With beginning stocks down from a year ago, total corn supplies at 16.3 billion bushels, if realized would be down 675 million from the prior year.

Total U.S. corn use in 2018/19 is forecast to decline modestly from a year ago on reductions in domestic use and exports. Food, seed, and industrial (FSI) use is projected to rise 75 million bushels to 7.1 billion, driven by an expected increase in the amount of corn used to produce ethanol for fuel and growth in non-ethanol FSI. Corn used to produce ethanol is up 50 million bushels mostly reflecting expectations of gasoline consumption growth. Sorghum FSI is up 55 million bushels on an expected increase in the amount of sorghum used to produce ethanol. Feed and residual use for corn is projected lower as a smaller crop, increased use of ethanol by-products, and higher expected prices more than offset growth in grain consuming animal units.

U.S. corn exports are forecast to decline 125 million bushels in 2018/19. Reduced exports out of Argentina and Brazil during 2017/18 (local marketing years beginning March 2018) are expected to boost U.S. exports during the first half of 2018/19. However, a nearly 265-million-bushel increase in the combined corn exports for Ukraine and Russia in 2018/19 will likely increase competition for the United States, reducing the forecast U.S. share of global corn trade from a year ago. With total U.S. corn supply falling faster than use, 2018/19 U.S. ending stocks are down 500 million bushels from last year to 1.7 billion. The season-average farm price is projected at $3.30 to $4.30 per bushel, up 40 cents at the midpoint from 2017/18.

The global coarse grain outlook for 2018/19 is for higher production, increased use and lower ending stocks. Corn production is forecast up from a year ago, with the largest increases for China, Brazil, Argentina, Ukraine, and Russia. Global corn use is expected to grow 2 percent, while global corn imports are projected to increase 5 percent. Notable forecast increases in corn imports include Vietnam, China, Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia. Global corn ending stocks are down 35.8 million tons from a year ago, and if realized would be the lowest since 2012/13.

For China, total corn supply is down 11 million tons in 2018/19, as larger production and imports are more than offset by lower beginning stocks. Corn area is projected higher based on current cash and futures prices that are above a year ago. Total coarse grain imports are forecast at 16.1 million tons, down 1.1 million from 2017/18, but still the fourth largest in the world behind Mexico, Japan, and the EU. World market prices for coarse grains are expected to remain below China’s domestic corn prices, particularly in the feed deficit south, thus driving expected demand for imported feedstuffs in 2018/19.

OILSEEDS

The 2018/19 outlook for U.S. soybeans is for higher supplies, crush, exports, and lower ending stocks compared to 2017/18. The soybean crop is projected at 4,280 million bushels, down 112 million from last year’s record crop on lower harvested area and trend yields. With higher beginning stocks, soybean supplies are projected at 4,835 million bushels, up 2 percent from 2017/18. Total U.S. oilseed production for 2018/19 is forecast at 127.3 million tons, down 3.7 million from 2017/18 mainly on lower soybean production. Production forecasts are also lower for peanuts, cottonseed, and sunflowerseed, but higher for canola.

The U.S. soybean crush for 2018/19 is projected at 1,995 million bushels, up slightly from the revised 2017/18 forecast with higher soybean meal disappearance offset by lower projected soybean meal exports. Soybean meal exports are forecast lower as Argentina’s export share recovers from the effects of drought in 2017/18. U.S.soybean exports are forecast at 2,290 million bushels for 2018/19, up 225 million from 2017/18. With forecast global soybean import growth of 5 percent, the U.S. soybean export share is projected at 39 percent, up from 2017/18 but otherwise the lowest since 2012/13. Reduced stocks in South America this fall will limit export competition during the first half of the 2018/19 marketing year. U.S. ending stocks for 2018/19 are projected at 415 million bushels, down 115 million from the revised 2017/18 forecast. The 2018/19 U.S. season-average soybean price range is forecast at $8.75 to $11.25 per bushel compared with $9.35 per bushel in 2017/18. Soybean meal prices are forecast at $330 to $370 per short ton, compared with $360 per ton for 2017/18. Soybean oil prices are forecast at 29.5 to 33.5 cents per pound compared with 30.5 cents for 2017/18.

The 2018/19 global oilseed supply and demand forecasts include higher production, crush, exports, and lower ending stocks compared to 2017/18. Global oilseed production is projected up 20.9 million tons to 593.7 million, with higher soybean, sunflower, rapeseed, palm kernel, and copra partly offset by lower peanuts and cottonseed. Global soybean production is projected up 17.8 million tons to 354.5 million mostly due to recovery from drought in Argentina. Soybean production for Argentina is projected up 17.0 million tons to 56.0 million. Production for Brazil is flat with the revised 2017/18 crop at 117 million tons as a 4 percent increase in harvested area is offset with a return to trend yields. The 2018/19 soybean crop for China is down 0.1 million tons to 14.1 million with a lower yield and flat harvested area as producers expand area in more profitable crops.

Global protein meal consumption is projected to increase 4 percent in 2018/19, with China accounting for the largest share of the increase despite below-average growth in protein meal consumption. As a result of higher protein meal demand, global crush is projected up 19.9 million tons to 509.4 million and protein meal exports are up 1.7 million tons to 90.4 million. Global vegetable oil consumption is projected at 198.6 million tons, up 7.1 million led by increases for China, India, and Indonesia. Soybean oil production gains are forecast for China and palm oil gains for Indonesia and Malaysia. Global vegetable oil ending stocks are projected up 2.0 million tons and nearing levels seen prior to the impact of El Niño on vegetable oil production in 2015/16.

Global oilseed exports are up 11.2 million tons to 186.4 million in 2018/19, with soybeans accounting for most of the increase. Soybean exports for Argentina and the United States are expected to regain global market share after declining in 2017/18. China soybean imports are forecast to reach a record 103 million tons, up 6 million from 2017/18. With higher soybean crush and exports, global soybean ending stocks are down 5.5 million tons to 86.7 million.

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