U.S. resumes corn exports to Malaysia

The National Corn Growers Association resumed Malaysian corn exports last week, with the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) present when the first shipment of U.S. corn arrived on the Yasa Gulten in Pasir Gudang, Southern Malaysia.

“This is an exciting opportunity,” USGC South and Southeast Asia Regional Director Kevin Roepke said. “We're able to build partnerships that help this bit of trade happen, which is a big win for Malaysia and U.S. producers.”

The corn shipment went from one USGC member to another as a trial run to retest the quality of U.S. corn. It was loaded in the Pacific Northwest. When tested, the corn was 1 percent higher in moisture than South American corn, at 14.7 percent. The threshold is 15 percent. The hot and humid conditions in Southeast Asia make short-term storage of corn problematic.

“Buyers want the best quality and we work hard to answer their questions and help them have confidence in buying from the United States,” Roepke said.

U.S. corn growers are expecting a bumper corn crop this year, and with the South American crop under pressure from low market prices and a weak harvest, the U.S. has an opportunity to expand its corn exports to Malaysia and Southeast Asia.