# Freight rates accelerate Asian corn prices, marking new historical high

> CFR Northeast Asia corn hit a new high of $295.40/mt on Feb. 17, up $9.40/mt on the day after a South Korean feedmiller booked a cargo for June delivery. Argentine origination basis fell about 10 cents over Feb. 4-16 as farmers sold ahead of an expected export tax increase.

- Date: 2021-02-17 · published 2021-02-17T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: logistics · region Asia · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/48516-freight-rates-accelerate-asian-corn-prices-marking-new-historical-high
- Commodities: [Corn](https://feedsoft.ai/c/CORN.md), [Ocean Grain Freight](https://feedsoft.ai/c/OCEANFRT.md), [DDGS](https://feedsoft.ai/c/DDGS.md)

## Why it matters

Surging Panamax freight costs are lifting delivered Asian corn prices even as Argentine FOB basis softens, widening the landed-cost gap for feed buyers in Asia. Higher freight and tighter Panamax tonnage support corn and other bulk grain prices into Asia.

## Read by commodity

- CORN: bullish ▲
- DDGS: neutral
- OCEANFRT: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| CORN | 2024-03-25 | [High freight could open door for US corn to China \| Latest Market News](https://feedsoft.ai/events/14763-high-freight-could-open-door-for-us-corn-to-china-latest-market-news.md) | -4.9% | -6.9% |
| CORN | 2025-04-03 | [Corn barge basis edges higher as freight stays high](https://feedsoft.ai/events/25310-corn-barge-basis-edges-higher-as-freight-stays-high.md) | +2.2% | +2.7% |
| CORN | 2026-03-10 | [Black Sea freight rates rise amid soaring bunker fuel prices](https://feedsoft.ai/events/20360-black-sea-freight-rates-rise-amid-soaring-bunker-fuel-prices.md) | +3.2% | +2.8% |
| CORN | 2026-02-23 | [High barge freight keeps US corn and soybean CIF NOLA elevated \| S&P Global](https://feedsoft.ai/events/16388-high-barge-freight-keeps-us-corn-and-soybean-cif-nola-elevated-s-and-p-global.md) | +2.1% | +7.7% |
| CORN | 2026-10-28 | [Poultry prices may increase ahead of Christmas as feed, freight costs rise](https://feedsoft.ai/events/241-poultry-prices-may-increase-ahead-of-christmas-as-feed-freight-costs-rise.md) | -0.5% | — |

## Sources

- spglobal.com: https://www.spglobal.com/commodity-insights/en/news-research/latest-news/coal/021721-freight-rates-accelerate-asian-corn-prices-marking-new-historical-high

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