30.04.202609:30:25UTC+00Corn Futures Approach 1-Year High

Corn futures rose to $4.67 per bushel, approaching the one-year high of $4.70 reached on March 19, as mounting fertilizer and energy costs linked to the conflict in the Middle East intensified pressure on production. Oil prices climbed to their highest levels of the wartime period following reports that President Donald Trump is set to review new military options in Iran, heightening the risk of further escalation. Rising input costs — including fertilizers, chemicals, and diesel for irrigation — are squeezing profit margins and threatening yields for this nutrient-intensive crop. In response, farmers in key producing regions from the US to Europe are cutting corn acreage and shifting toward crops that require fewer inputs in an effort to contain expenses. Additional support for prices came from firm export demand, including new purchases from South Korea, as well as wet weather across parts of the US Corn Belt. The USDA reported that 25% of US corn acreage has been planted, exceeding market expectations and the five-year average, though upcoming storms in the Midwest could slow progress in some areas.