ARTICLES

Relationship of Rotterdam Peanut Prices to U. S. Peanut Production¹

Authors: , , ,

Abstract

In the 1980s exports of peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) from the United States ranged from 228,000 mt to 473,000 mt making up nearly 20% of the total U.S. production. The European Community was the largest importer of U. S. peanuts with Argentina and China the major U. S. competitors for peanut imports. Edible peanut prices quoted in Rotterdam are recognized as world reference prices in the peanut trade. From 1978 to 1990 monthly prices of U. S. 40/50 shelled peanuts in Rotterdam ranged from $600mt to $2,100mt. A change of $100mt in the Rotterdam price results in an estimated change in the value of U. S. farmers' stock peanuts of $66mt. Rotterdam prices are sensitive to monthly estimates of peanut production in the southeastern U. S. There is a critical southeast production threshold of about 1.0 mil mt, below which Rotterdam prices increase $125mt for a decrease of 50,000 mt in production. Above the level of production, the price changed $51mt for each 50,000 mt change in production. The Rotterdam price is an important barometer for domestic prices for additional peanuts produced by U.S. peanut farmers.

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Keywords: Peanut prices, peanut production, world groundnut prices

How to Cite: Carley, D. , Fletcher, S. , Zhang, P. & Witt, H. (1992) “Relationship of Rotterdam Peanut Prices to U. S. Peanut Production¹”, Peanut Science. 19(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.3146/i0095-3679-19-2-12

Author Notes

1The research reported in this paper was partly supported by a grant from the Georgia Agricultural Commodity Commission for Peanuts. Support was provided also by State and Hatch funds allocated to the Georgia Agricultural Experiment Station.