Low corn export level is expected

Data from the Agricultural Economics Research Institute (AKI) and KSH’s market price information system (PÁIR) reveal that Hungarian producers were selling mill quality wheat for HUF 44,000 a ton, fodder wheat cost HUF 43,000/ton and fodder corn was selling at HUF 45,000 per ton. NÉBIH’s final (7 September 2013) estimate is that this year 6.72 million tons of corn will be harvested, which is 7 percent less than the average of the last 5 years. Average yield is expected to be around 5.45 tons per hectare. From our main export markets, in Italy – our biggest buyer – the corn harvest was 10-25 percent smaller than in recent years; in Germany the corn harvest level of 2012 was repeated with 5 million tons, while in Romania a superb 10-million-ton performance is likely. In the light of the above facts Hungary’s corn export to Romania is unlikely to reach the 700,000-800,000 ton level of recent years. Rapeseed was purchased from Hungarian producers for HUF 104,000/kg in the domestic market and HUF 90,000 was paid for sunflower seed in the 9-15 September 2013 period. The production price of slaughter pig was HUF 540/kg in August 2013, 11.5 percent higher than a year earlier.