# Mississippi barge rates dropping despite little improvement in river levels - FreightWaves

> Mississippi barge rates fell as the USDA grain transport indicator dropped to 326 for the week ending October 18 from 366 the week before. Memphis river levels hit a reading of about -11.8 feet, reported by ACBL as a record low, and then rebounded slightly. Industry sources attribute weak barge demand to slow export sales.

- Date: 2023-10-20 · published 2023-10-20T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/16593-mississippi-barge-rates-dropping-despite-little-improvement-in-river-levels
- Commodities: [Barge Freight (St. Louis)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/BARGE.md), [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md)

## Why it matters

Falling barge rates signal reduced grain movement because farmers are diverting product from a weak export market. Lower freight supports local basis, but persistent river restrictions limit any recovery in volumes.

## Read by commodity

- SOY: bearish ▼
- CORN: bearish ▼
- BARGE: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2022-10-25 | [Relief still far off for low Mississippi River, hindering barge movement - FreightWaves](https://feedsoft.ai/events/39336-relief-still-far-off-for-low-mississippi-river-hindering-barge-movement.md) | -1.4% | -2.7% |
| CORN | 2017-10-06 | [Report: Barge rates skyrocket amid Ohio, Mississippi river closures - FreightWaves](https://feedsoft.ai/events/6120-report-barge-rates-skyrocket-amid-ohio-mississippi-river-closures-freightwaves.md) | -0.4% | -0.8% |
| CORN | 2019-07-01 | [Barge movement resumes on Mississippi, but remains sluggish - FreightWaves](https://feedsoft.ai/events/57966-barge-movement-resumes-on-mississippi-but-remains-sluggish-freightwaves.md) | +1.3% | +0.2% |
| CORN | 2023-08-31 | [Barge Spot Rates Hit $23.34 a Ton as Mississippi River Water Levels Drop - Bloomberg](https://feedsoft.ai/events/12851-barge-spot-rates-hit-23-34-a-ton-as-mississippi-river-water-levels-drop.md) | +1.5% | -6.4% |
| CORN | 2022-11-07 | [Mississippi River's Low Levels Causing Barge Traffic Issues](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10337-mississippi-river-s-low-levels-causing-barge-traffic-issues.md) | -0.7% | -5.4% |
| SOY | 2022-10-25 | [Relief still far off for low Mississippi River, hindering barge movement - FreightWaves](https://feedsoft.ai/events/39336-relief-still-far-off-for-low-mississippi-river-hindering-barge-movement.md) | +2.6% | +4.7% |
| SOY | 2025-10-01 | [Low Mississippi River Levels Pressure Grain Barge Movement - RFD-TV](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16421-low-mississippi-river-levels-pressure-grain-barge-movement-rfd-tv.md) | +2.0% | +7.6% |
| SOY | 2019-07-01 | [Barge movement resumes on Mississippi, but remains sluggish - FreightWaves](https://feedsoft.ai/events/57966-barge-movement-resumes-on-mississippi-but-remains-sluggish-freightwaves.md) | -2.7% | -1.6% |

## Sources

- freightwaves.com: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/mississippi-barge-rates-dropping-despite-little-improvement-in-river-levels

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.