Grain Exports Dashboard

U.S. agricultural exports are valued at over $100 billion annually. Grains and oilseeds are among the top exported commodities. This means nearly every day, across the country, grain is being inspected for export for shipment to international destinations. The following presents a series of charts and views covering grain inspections, ocean rates, and export sales. Taken together, viewers can glimpse how much is shipped week to week, the origin and destination location, and a look ahead (reflected in anticipated vessel loadings and outstanding export sales). 

Grain Inspections

These first two charts focus on total grain and soybean inspections over time. The first chart contrasts recent export trends across corn, wheat, and soybeans, highlighting their relative volumes and different seasonal trends. The second chart focuses on the seasonal comparison, showing total inspections compared to the same time in recent years. Use the filters in both charts to narrow down to specific commodities, ports, and destination countries.

By Port

These charts focus on U.S. origination port regions for grain and soybean exports. The first chart shows year-to-date Gulf and Pacific Northwest (PNW) grain and soybean exports compared to the same period last year. The second chart compares the same ports over a longer term timeline, including up to the most recent week of data. The last two charts provide a look at ocean vessel rate spreads between the Gulf and PNW. The spread is calculated by subtracting the PNW rate from the Gulf rate. The higher the spread, all else equal, the higher the incentive to ship out of the PNW compared to the Gulf.

Ocean Spreads

By Destination

The next three charts focus on grain and soybean export destination countries. The first two charts include only the latest week of data, showing a map of grain and soybean export destinations and a graph of exports by U.S. port region. The third chart shows year-to-date grain and soybean inspections by destination country, with a comparison to last year, showing how the distribution of export destinations has changed.

In the Latest Week of Data

The chart below shows total inspections by destination country for the latest week of data. Each bar is also broken out by the volume that originated from individual U.S. export port locations.

Year-to-Date

A Forward Look

These last two charts are intended to provide a sense of exports in the near future. In the first chart, exporters in the Gulf report the number of vessels expected to be loaded in the next 10 days. The second chart shows how total outstanding export sales (commitments that have yet to be shipped) compare to the same week in previous years.
Next-10-Day Gulf Vessel Loadings

Total Outstanding Export Sales