06.04.202606:53:32UTC+00Corn Futures Hit 1-Month Low

Corn futures slipped below $4.50 per bushel, reaching a four-week low as easing concerns over fertilizer supplies and improving prospects for global trade flows pressured prices. Expectations that disruptions tied to tensions around the Strait of Hormuz may lessen have helped temper fears over soaring input costs, even though the broader conflict continues to cast a shadow by keeping fertilizer and fuel prices relatively high.

Elevated costs are forcing farmers to revisit their planting strategies, potentially curbing fertilizer use and heightening the risk of lower yields in the coming seasons. The USDA has indicated that growers plan to reduce corn acreage to about 95.3 million acres in 2026, down from nearly 99 million acres last year, as high fertilizer prices make corn less attractive than soybeans. Analysts caution that acreage estimates may be revised even lower as the full effects of the conflict work their way through the market.

Ample supplies are also weighing on prices. U.S. corn inventories climbed to roughly 9 billion bushels as of March 1, underscoring robust stock levels following previous strong harvests and further limiting upward price pressure.