China’s Corn Production Lower

After touring and surveying China’s farmland, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) estimates 2009 Chinese corn production at 148.79 million metric tons, or 5.86 billion bushels. Those figures work out to a national average yield of about 79 bushels per acre, according to Farm Progress.

“Both of these numbers would be down from corn production in China last year,” said Cary Sifferath, USGC senior director in China. “The production number would be down about 9.7% compared to China National Grain and Oils Information Center. Their number for last year, 2008, would be about 165.917 million metric tons, or 6.53 billion bushels.”

Sifferath said because of that, he thinks prices will continue to be relatively high in China, which could lead to additional dried distillers grains sales into China during the rest of 2009 and into 2010.