USDA’s Economic Research Service has published an economic information bulletin, entitled “Corn and Soybean Production Costs and Export Competitiveness in Argentina, Brazil, and the United States.”
The report explores competitiveness for soybeans and corn in Argentina, Brazil and the United States by comparing farm-level production costs, the cost of internal transportation and handling, and the cost of shipping to a common export destination. Prices received by farmers and average yield for each crop in each country are analyzed to calculate producer returns. Cost-of-production data are for 2010-11. Findings of this study describe many of the factors that impact production and export competitiveness of the world’s leading corn and soybean exporters and how changes in these factors affect their competitive position.
Argentina, Brazil, and the United States represent an average of 88 percent of world soybean exports and 73 percent of corn exports. The full report is available here.
