Brazilian corn (maize) sowings for next season’s harvest are forecast close to 5m hectares, which would be the lowest area planted in corn since 2004. As a result, corn production from Brazil is likely to decline by 5m tonnes next season to 93m tonnes.

New Zealand exports of whole milk powder (WMP) for the month of August totalled close to 36,000t, which is a more than 20% decline year on year. New Zealand exporters say weak demand from Africa, particularly Nigeria and Algeria, hit exports for August.

US beef exports continue to perform strongly in 2017. Figures released by the USDA show US beef exports for August totalled 112,000t, which is a 5% increase year on year. This brings US beef exports for the first eight months of 2017 close to 825,000t, which is 10% ahead of last year.

France’s ministry for agriculture has raised its forecast for the country’s sugar beet harvest this season. With sugar quotas now expired, French sugar beet production for 2017 is pegged at 42m tonnes, which would be 6m tonnes more than last season.