Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Sid Salter: Mississippi Farmers Wary of International Impacts on Exports, Markets

For both U.S. and Mississippi farmers, China is the primary export market for their crops and current forecasts anticipate record sales – if conditions in the forecast models hold. That’s a big “if.”

 

The most recent U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts from the quarterly “Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade” from the agency’s Foreign Agricultural Service and their Economic Research Service predict overall U.S. agricultural exports Fiscal Year 2022 exports of $191 billion (a $7.5 billion hike) with increases expected in corn, cotton and soybeans.

 

Farm Policy News analysts pointed to this assessment from the forecast: “Soybean exports are projected up $1 billion to a record $32.3 billion as higher volumes more than offset lower unit values. Total oilseed and product exports are forecast $700 million higher to a record $44.3 billion. Overall livestockpoultry, and dairy exports are projected to increase by $1.2 billion to $40.4 billion, with gains across all major commodities except pork.”

 

At $36 billion, China remains America’s largest single agricultural export customer. With one-fifth of the world’s population at 1.4 billion, China buys food and feedstuffs on global markets to offset the nation’s limited arable lands and the dual impacts of pollution and climate change.

 

Chinese imports of soybeans, corn, rice, wheat and edible oils drive a great deal of the country’s global shopping lists as does an increasing national appetite for meat and poultry – with the widespread availability of meat (particularly for middle-class citizens) being a relatively recent development.

 

Agricultural import-export markets are actively impacted by inflation. U.S. and Mississippi farmers have seen production costs soar along with fuel prices. Those market forces are at work in China and other global markets as well. 

 

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is wreaking havoc on global grain exports from that country – primarily wheat and corn – which in turn impacts U.S. and Mississippi producers. The same USDA quarterly reports indicated: “Sales and shipments of U.S. corn have accelerated as Russia’s invasion has constrained exports from Ukraine, which has also kept prices elevated.”

While South America was projected to have record production to fill the global crop shortages left by lower post-Russian invasion Ukrainian grain exports, a second year of droughts has reduced crop yields there.

Food Engineering Magazine’s Frederic Van Roie framed supply chain disruptions in the food and beverage industry like this: “The effects on the global F&B economy have already been profound, with soaring oil and gas prices affecting manufacturing, transportation and agricultural supply chains.

“Then there’s the role of Russia and Ukraine in food and fertilizer production to consider. Supplies of wheat, sunflower oil and corn are low, which could have particularly serious consequences for food security in Africa,” Van Roie wrote. “By blocking Ukrainian grain exports from leaving Black Sea ports, Russia is pushing the global price of the commodity up. The same goes for fertilizer, with producers of phosphates, potash, and other fertilizers reliant upon supplies of raw ingredients from Russia and Ukraine.”

Rising interest rates will impact farm credit. The global agricultural markets share the same concerns as other sectors about the inflationary spiral growing into a full-blown recession. 

The global shortage of computer chips is another concern as farmers struggle to get new equipment or repair existing equipment or technologies on which they are reliant for higher yields. Yet another fear is a COVID resurgence that would exacerbate ongoing labor shortages.

But economic forecasts of increased ag exports should be good news for Mississippi’s $8.33 billion ag industry. China is the third leading trading partner for Mississippi exports behind Canada and Mexico, with $759 million in value in 2020 – with that number representing a 63.8% increase over the previous year. 

 

Mississippi’s farm economy has long known what most of the rest of the country first saw clearly during the pandemic – the world is smaller, our economic fortunes are more closely intertwined than ever, and risk is an inherent facet of reward.


Sid Salter is a syndicated columnist. Contact him at sidsalter@sidsalter.com


 

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Breath people, we will survive until the asteroid hits. Planet is 4.5 Billion, give or take a few, years old. Whereas man has been around for roughly 200,000 years. Survived before we got here and will not be destroyed by us, but rather will destroy us first. May have help from our politicians as well. Love the arrogance of folks who think they can control things like climate and weather, two distinct different things.

Anonymous said...

Does Sid think up these say-nothing "opinion" pieces all by his little self, or is he just signed up for a shit-ton of newsletters from lobbies and advocacy shills?

Anonymous said...

Ukraine was/is a Trillion-dollar laundering machine. It does not feed the world.

Anonymous said...

I have interest in a wheat farm in Kansas, I sold my wheat for over $10/bushel a few weeks ago, wheat is now $8.06/bushel. So much for Ukraine.

Anonymous said...

It's a global economy and that's not just a slogan. The country that can best indoctrinate it's people with the competitive attitude needed to survive in a global economy will dominate. Right now, that's China or Japan.

Anonymous said...

Let's see, US Taxpayer subsidized farms (public cost), record private profits to the "poor farmers" (private gain).

Mississippi Ag Familiies: Feeding the Red Army, and Making a Killing, GubMint Guaranteed!

Anonymous said...

We can always threaten to withhold our food exports from China. It works for Putin's Russian oil which triggers Europeans and Republicans alike, so why not use the same advantage for us against China if need be?



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In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


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Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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