Browse Data and Analysis

Brazil is set for another record-breaking grain harvest. Post maintains its corn planted area forecast at 22.5 million hectares for MY 2022/2023 and corn production is forecast at 125.5 MMT for MY 2022/2023, up 8 percent from the estimated 116 MMT for MY 2021/2022.

Post increased the 2022/23 forecast for soybean planted area expansion to 43.3 million hectares (ha) and soybean production to 153 million metric tons (MMT). This season sowing began optimistically, with most soybeans planted on time compared to last year. However, in the southern part of the country including Rio Grande do Sul and Parana, rains will be needed in January because if continues to be dry, the crop will be negatively impacted.

After being adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic, Brazil’s gross domestic product (GDP) registered two years of consecutive growth, 4.6 percent in 2021 and an estimated 3 percent by the end of 2022.

The volume of U.S. fresh, dried, and processed fruit exports between 2012/13 and 2021/22 dropped 29 percent to 2.9 million metric tons[1]. However, a 25-percent gain in unit value during this period softened the decrease in value to just 11 percent lower as trade dropped $700 million to $6.0 billion.

As the 5th largest country export market for the United States, Korea provides a promising market for U.S. agricultural products. In 2021, Korea imported about $43 billion agricultural & food products from all over the world and the U.S. supplied a quarter of it, ranking number one. Other key suppliers were China, Australia, Brazil, and Vietnam.

Post forecasts 2022/23 planted cotton area at 1.66 million hectares (ha), with production at 13.3 million bales (2.89 million metric tons, MMT), about a 13 percent increase from the 2021/22 estimated production of 11.52 million bales (2.5 MMT). Cotton area is forecast to rise because of favorable weather leading to timely first-season soybean planting and improved yields, as well as a favorable outlook for prices and profitability.