# CoBank – Strong US dollar, low Mississippi River limit grain movement & oilseed exports

> Historically low Mississippi River water levels are limiting grain movement into peak fall harvest, and downbound barge rates from Southern Illinois rose from $12 to $46 per ton between July and late September. CoBank also cites a strong US dollar and export competition from Brazil and Russia. Outstanding US corn sales to China are down 64.8% year on year.

- Date: 2023-11-06 · published 2023-11-06T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/33357-cobank-strong-us-dollar-low-mississippi-river-limit-grain-movement-and-oilseed
- 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

Higher barge freight and river constraints widen interior basis and reduce US export competitiveness, pressuring corn and soybean prices. Barge freight is pushed higher as a direct result.

## Read by commodity

- SOY: bearish ▼
- CORN: bearish ▼
- BARGE: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2023-09-29 | [Mississippi River Near Historic Lows, Grain Exports at Risk](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16603-mississippi-river-near-historic-lows-grain-exports-at-risk.md) | +1.9% | +0.9% |
| CORN | 2023-08-30 | [Low Mississippi River level will challenge grain movement again this harvest](https://feedsoft.ai/events/12853-low-mississippi-river-level-will-challenge-grain-movement-again-this-harvest.md) | -0.0% | -8.2% |
| CORN | 2025-09-25 | [Restrictions, Freight Costs Pressure Grain Movement on the Mississippi River - RFD](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16424-restrictions-freight-costs-pressure-grain-movement-on-the-mississippi-river-rfd.md) | -2.5% | -1.8% |
| CORN | 2025-10-15 | [Low Mississippi River levels threaten fall grain movement - Brownfield Ag News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16417-low-mississippi-river-levels-threaten-fall-grain-movement-brownfield-ag-news.md) | +0.1% | +2.9% |
| CORN | 2023-10-08 | [USDA Explores Third-Quarter Barged Grain Movements on the Mississippi River - Farm Policy News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16595-usda-explores-third-quarter-barged-grain-movements-on-the-mississippi-river.md) | -0.2% | -3.4% |
| SOY | 2023-09-29 | [Mississippi River Near Historic Lows, Grain Exports at Risk](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16603-mississippi-river-near-historic-lows-grain-exports-at-risk.md) | -1.5% | -1.6% |
| 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 | 2023-08-30 | [Low Mississippi River level will challenge grain movement again this harvest](https://feedsoft.ai/events/12853-low-mississippi-river-level-will-challenge-grain-movement-again-this-harvest.md) | -1.6% | -5.7% |

## Sources

- ukragroconsult.com: https://ukragroconsult.com/en/news/cobank-strong-us-dollar-low-mississippi-river-limit-grain-movement-oilseed-exports/

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