US beef exports for March stood at just under 112,000t, up 6% compared with the same month last year. This brings US beef exports for the first quarter of 2018 (January to March) close to 320,000t, which is 9% ahead of the same period in 2017.

Grain market analysts in Brazil have lowered forecasts for this season’s second corn crop (safrinha corn) by 2.7m tonnes due to dryness in central Brazil. Brazil’s safrinha corn crop is now pegged at 57.2m tonnes for 2018.

Chinese dairy imports for the month of March increased more than 15% to just under 660,000t. There was strong demand across the board, with WMP imports increasing 9% to 216,000t, while infant formula imports rose 17% to more than 63,000t. Whey imports rose 12% to 137,000t.

Dairy exports from the EU28 stood at just under 830,000t for the first two months of 2018, a 5% increase year on year. Butter exports increased 33% to 32,600t, while SMP exports are up 12% year on year close to 132,000t. Infant formula exports are 24% ahead of last year at 94,000t.