Ag Exports Off Year-Over-Year

The USDA is out with its most recent exports numbers.  Those figures take us through June and so for the first 9 months of this 2019 fiscal year.

“We have exports at 103 billion dollars down 6.9% from fiscal year 2018,” said USDA Trade Economist, Kamron Daugherty.

He noted during the same time frame, the U.S. was importing more agriculture products; $99.5 billion dollars worth, which is up considerably.  In fact during April and May the US Ag trade surplus turned negative; the first time the U.S. has reported back to back months of an Ag trade deficit since 2016.

However, Daugherty says June looks like the U.S. went back to a surplus.  A surplus of $170 million, and for the first 9 months of the fiscal year farmers are running a surplus of  $3.7 billion.

“Down 73% from fiscal year 2018.”

Of the major bulk products, Daugherty says only wheat has reported exports above year ago levels.

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