U.S. corn and wheat export inspections continued to decline leading up to the new year, while soybean movements recovered. Corn inspections fell 10 percent to 1.21 million metric tons (MMT) during the week ending Jan. 1, according to the USDA’s Grain Export Inspections report on Monday. Volumes remained 38 percent above the same week last year.

Japan was the No. 1 destination for U.S. corn, unseating Mexico for the top spot last week. Mexico was still the second-largest destination, followed by Guatemala and Taiwan. Accumulated export inspections reached 26.81 MMT, 65 percent higher than a year ago.

Soybean export inspections rose 27 percent last week to 980,500 metric tons (MT), though volumes were still 24 percent below a year ago.

China was the top destination for U.S. soybeans during the week. Egypt, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Tunisia also landed in the top five. Year-to-date soybean inspections rose to 16.4 MMT, sitting 45 percent lower than last season. Shipments for the 2025/26 marketing year continued to run at the slowest pace in about a decade due to the lack of shipments to China earlier in the season.

U.S. wheat movements declined by 43 percent from the previous week to 183,300 MT. Volumes were also 56 percent below the same week last year and a marketing-year low. The holidays likely affected trade flows and are expected to recover seasonally over the next few months.

Mexico was the top destination for U.S. wheat during the week, followed by the Philippines and Japan. Accumulated shipments for the marketing year rose to 15.26 MMT, up about 20 percent from the previous season. Shipments are running at the second-fastest pace out of the past five years.

U.S. sorghum export inspections surged last week to 244,300 MT. Volumes reached a marketing-year high. China took the bulk of the shipments during the week, but Spain was also a main destination. Accumulated inspections for the season are running only 37 percent behind last year at 862,400 MT.

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