Soybean Prices Dip as Planting Progress Outpaces Averages

Planting and Export Trends

The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reported 33% of the U.S. soybean crop planted by May 3, significantly ahead of the 23% five-year average. Emergence reached 13%, compared to the typical 5% for this period.

Export inspections revealed 450,145 metric tons (16.54 million bushels) of soybeans shipped during the week of April 30, a 29.5% drop from the previous week but 34.1% higher than the same week in 2025. China received the largest share at 200,896 metric tons, followed by Indonesia (60,331 MT) and Mexico (47,012 MT).

Marketing year shipments since September 1 totaled 33.27 million metric tons (1.222 billion bushels), down 23.5% year-over-year. Meanwhile, StoneX raised its Brazilian soybean crop estimate to 181.62 million metric tons, a 1.96 million metric ton increase from its prior forecast.