# Which rose first: the price of chicken or corn?

> Marketplace reports that corn prices are up about 50% this year, driven by Chinese buying of U.S. corn to rebuild its hog herd after African swine fever. Economists say the corn rally reduces wheat plantings and raises wheat prices, and it raises livestock production costs. Strong meat demand is also pushing up food prices.

- Date: 2021-05-11 · published 2021-05-11T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: trade · region US · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/47259-which-rose-first-the-price-of-chicken-or-corn
- Commodities: [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Wheat (SRW)](https://feedsoft.ai/c/WHEAT.md)

## Why it matters

Chinese purchases of U.S. corn tighten supplies and lift corn prices, which also pull up wheat and feed costs for livestock and poultry. Higher feed costs flow through to meat prices.

## Read by commodity

- CORN: bullish ▲
- WHEAT: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2023-04-05 | [Why China is the Wildcard for Corn Prices - AgWeb](https://feedsoft.ai/events/36433-why-china-is-the-wildcard-for-corn-prices-agweb.md) | -0.1% | -2.2% |
| CORN | 2019-12-16 | [Corn prices rose 4% on news of USA and Argentina](https://feedsoft.ai/events/12108-corn-prices-rose-4-on-news-of-usa-and-argentina.md) | +4.2% | +4.8% |
| CORN | 2025-07-24 | [Ahead of the Open \| China buys U.S. corn - Pro Farmer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/14646-ahead-of-the-open-china-buys-u-s-corn-pro-farmer.md) | +1.0% | -1.0% |
| CORN | 2025-01-21 | [Export prices for barley in Ukraine reached the level of corn and feed wheat prices](https://feedsoft.ai/events/26576-export-prices-for-barley-in-ukraine-reached-the-level-of-corn-and-feed-wheat.md) | -0.5% | +3.8% |
| CORN | 2023-06-01 | [China’s imports of U.S. food on the rise - WEDC](https://feedsoft.ai/events/14834-china-s-imports-of-u-s-food-on-the-rise-wedc.md) | -2.2% | -3.2% |
| WHEAT | 2025-01-21 | [Export prices for barley in Ukraine reached the level of corn and feed wheat prices](https://feedsoft.ai/events/26576-export-prices-for-barley-in-ukraine-reached-the-level-of-corn-and-feed-wheat.md) | +3.4% | +5.7% |
| WHEAT | 2020-07-21 | [Sales to China spark price rally \| The Land \| NSW](https://feedsoft.ai/events/52072-sales-to-china-spark-price-rally-the-land-nsw.md) | +0.9% | -1.4% |
| WHEAT | 2026-10-29 | [CRMAgri - Latest - Double dose of upbeat US export news fosters Chicago wheat price recovery](https://feedsoft.ai/events/2012-crmagri-latest-double-dose-of-upbeat-us-export-news-fosters-chicago-wheat-price.md) | -0.4% | — |

## Sources

- marketplace.org: https://www.marketplace.org/story/2021/05/11/which-rose-first-the-price-of-chicken-or-corn

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