One decade ago Brazil exported 4 mill tons of corn with a market share of approximately 6%. In the 2012 – 2013 season Brazil surpassed the U.S. to become the world’s biggest exporter of corn accounting for more than 25% of world trade. Driving this rapid change is Brazil’s “safarinha” or second-crop corn production. Production of second-crop corn has increased almost four-fold in ten years and accounted for more than half of the 2012-13 corn crop. Corn production in Brazil has doubled over the last decade while consumption has increased by 50% leaving the country with excess corn to export. Exports for 2012-13 were 24.5 million tons. As full season corn area has declined, yields have increased markedly. The average yield for the 2001-02 and 2003-04 seasons was 3.3 tons per hectare, and the average yield for 2012-13 was 5.1 tons per hectare. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts lower corn yield, area, production, and exports for Brazil in the 2012-14 season which should give the U.S. a chance to rebound in exports.
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