NASHVILLE, TN – Lower transportation and landed costs helped support U.S. grain competitiveness in Mexico during the fourth quarter of 2025 — a key factor for producers relying on export demand.
USDA data show that water-route transportation costs to Veracruz rose slightly quarter-to-quarter for corn and soybeans and increased for wheat, largely due to higher ocean freight tied to strong global bulk shipments. Land-route costs increased for corn and wheat with higher truck and rail rates, but declined for soybeans as rail costs eased.
For producers, landed costs varied by commodity and route. Land-route corn costs rose on higher transport and farm values, while wheat costs fell with lower farm values. Soybean landed costs held mostly steady as lower transport costs offset stronger farm prices.
Regionally, transportation accounted for 14-28 percent of landed costs by water routes and 12-30 percent by land routes, underscoring logistics’ role in export margins.
Looking ahead, sustained export demand from Mexico — which imported 26.1 million metric tons of U.S. corn, 5.46 million metric tons of soybeans, and 4.33 million metric tons of wheat in 2025 — will keep transportation costs central to competitiveness.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Transportation costs remain a critical factor in export-driven grain prices.