US corn export premiums held at historically high levels at the US Gulf Coast on Friday amid tight supplies and demand for late summer shipments, traders said. Little corn in the US export pipeline and exporters are increasingly concerned about originating supplies between July and the new-crop harvest. Importers such as China and Mexico have also inquired in recent days about US shipments in September, the traders said.
Little business has been done yet but shippers would face strong competition from US processors and ethanol plants for corn supplies. Bids and offers at interior locations are also near the highest levels ever for this time of year. FOB soybean offers were quietly steady amid muted demand due to cheaper and more plentiful supplies offered out of South American ports. Premiums for US wheat were steady to firm on growing demand for supplies that will be harvested in the coming weeks, with US soft red winter wheat said to be competitively priced in world markets.