On 26 February, the USD A predicted a 19% drop in America's major bulk farm exports, from a record 139.4M tonnes last year to 112.9M tonnes in 2009. America's most important bulk export, corn/maize, is now expected to total just 45M tonnes, down 26% from 2008. The USD A shaved 2.5M tonnes off its previous corn estimate in November, blaming the global recession and "fierce competition from Brazil, Ukraine and the EU in markets across North Africa and the Middle East". Losses to the corn trade, in particular,rnare the largest driver of the expected shortfall in US farm exports this year.rnUS soybean deliveries are expected to inch up 1 % compared to 2008, to 31.3M tonnes. The USDA cited continued "very strong" demand from China, combined with reduced output by South American competitors.rnWheat cargoes are expected to come in at 26.5M tonnes, off 20% from last year. "Other exporters' wheat supply is ample and more competitive," conceded the USDA.
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