http://droughtreporter.unl.edu/

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Navigation difficulties on the Mississippi River extend up to St. Louis as the flows were reduced on the Missouri River on Nov. 19. Dredging operations were underway around St. Louis to keep a navigation channel open. Although barge movements were slow, grain terminals in the New Orleans area reported a 35% increase in barges that were unloaded, compared to the previous week. Spot barge rates have fallen from $110 per metric ton in October to about $40 per metric ton. The rate was $20 per ton for much of the year. The high barge rate meant that some producers were receiving $2 less per bushel for corn and soybeans, according to Brad Rippey, a meteorologist at the USDA Office of Chief Economist. In October, barge movements on the Mississippi River slowed from a three-year average of 700 barges down to closer to 150 barges. Tonnage fell from 1 million metric tons a week down closer to 150,000 metric tons. At the end of November, the drawdown on the Missouri River will cause the level of the Mississippi River to drop about 3 feet at St. Louis. Combined, corn and soybean shipments on the river systems, including the Illinois and Ohio rivers, for 2022 are just over 26 million metric tons, down about 12.5% from the same year-to-date in 2021. Total grain export inspections at the Mississippi Gulf equal about 95% of last year's volume, according to USDA. Corn, soybeans and wheat total 55.17 mmt in the Mississippi Gulf, compared to 57.85 mmt last year. DTN – The Progressive Farmer (Burnsville, Minn.), Nov 18, 2022