The latest export sales report from UDSA, out Thursday morning and covering the week through December 3, held a mixed but mostly positive bag of data for traders to digest. Soybeans partially recovered from a big slump a week ago but still remains significantly lower than the prior four-week average. Corn moved slightly lower week-over-week but maintained a slim lead over the prior four-week average. And wheat sales jumped 38% higher week-over-week, besting all trade guesses.

Corn sales reached 53.6 million bushels last week, which was fractionally below last week’s volume but 7% better than the prior four-week average. It was also better than most trade estimates, which ranged between 27.6 million and 59.1 million bushels. Unknown destinations led the way, with 16.6 million bushels, with Mexico (16.1 million) following closely behind. Cumulative totals for the 2020/21 marketing year are way ahead of last year’s pace, with 436.5 million bushels.

Corn export shipments were more lackluster, drifting 19% below the prior four-week average to 28.1 million bushels. China was the No. 1 destination, with 10.7 million bushels. Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Costa Rica and Taiwan rounded out the top five.

Sorghum export sales tumbled 45% below the prior four-week average to 4.8 million bushels, after purchases to China and unknown destinations. Cumulative totals for the 2020/21 marketing year have a fivefold lead over last years pace after racking up 50.3 million bushels so far. Grain export shipments only reached 75,000 bushels last week – all headed to China.

Related:Weekly Grain Movement – ‘Big Three’ all move lower

Soybean export sales were up 40% from a week ago but still 42% behind the prior four-week average, with 20.9 million bushels in old crop sales. New crop sales added another 6.2 million bushels, for a total tally of 27.1 million bushels. That was in the middle of trade estimates, which ranged between 14.7 million and 38.6 million bushels. China was by far the leading destination. Cumulative totals for the 2020/21 marketing year are trending extremely above last year’s pace, with 1.096 billion bushels.

Soybean export shipments climbed another 8% higher week-over-week, to 98.9 million bushels. China accounted for the bulk of that total, with 69.8 million bushels. Egypt, the Netherlands, Thailand and Tunisia filled out the top five.

Wheat export sales climbed 42% above the prior four-week average, to 22.7 million bushels. That tally was better than all trade estimates, which ranged between 7.3 million and 20.2 million bushels. Mexico topped the list last week, with 3.9 million bushels. Cumulative sales for the 2020/21 marketing year have a slim lead over last year’s pace, with 474.9 million bushels.

Related:Weekly Export Sales – Soybeans stumble again

Wheat export shipments were also up substantially over the prior four-week average, improving 56% to reach 20.3 million bushels. Japan was the No. 1 destination, with 3.3 million bushels. Mexico, China, the Philippines and Thailand rounded out the top five.

Click here to see more highlights from the latest USDA export report, covering November 27 through December 3.