The International Trade Council brings into focus the ongoing crisis faced by the global grain market due to the unyielding low water predicaments on the Mississippi River, despite NOAA’s forecasts of potential drought improvement in the Southern US over the coming winter.
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) highlighted in its recent U.S. winter weather outlook that the distressing drought across the lower Mississippi River valley, currently categorized between severe to exceptional, is anticipated to witness substantial relief. This expected change is credited to the forthcoming El Nino phenomenon predicted to usher in enhanced rainfall to the affected regions. However, there’s a substantial concern that recovery of the Mississippi River might be hampered due to the enduring drought in the upper Midwest combined with projections of average or lower-than-average precipitation in basins feeding key tributaries, including the Illinois and Ohio rivers.
This persistent low water dilemma is notably impeding the transportation of grain via barges from the Midwest’s agricultural heartland, marking the second consecutive year of such disruptions during the critical autumn harvest period. The situation is posing a significant setback for U.S. corn and soybean competitiveness in the global trading arena.
“Anticipated drought improvements are on the horizon for the lower to middle sections of the Mississippi Valley in the ensuing months. However, the hydrological repercussions, like diminished river and groundwater levels, will not rebound as quickly,” explained Brad Pugh, who spearheads operational drought responses at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. He cautioned that these hydrological challenges might extend past January.
Adding to the complexity is the recent record-breaking drop in the Mississippi River’s water level at the Memphis, Tennessee gauge, surpassing the former record established just last year, as per data from the National Weather Service.
The reduced river depth has necessitated barge operators to limit their grain cargo to prevent potential blockages, an action that directly impacts international trade operations. Compounding the issue, navigation in certain segments of the lower Mississippi River has intermittently been suspended in recent weeks due to vessel strandings and dredging operations conducted by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to mitigate the shallow channels.
This development warrants urgent attention, as the continuity of such conditions could have far-reaching implications on global grain trade logistics and pricing structures. The International Trade Council underscores the necessity for adaptive strategies and international cooperation to safeguard the robustness of global supply chains against environmental volatility.