MANHATTAN, Kan. – Mexico signed on the bottom line to buy a record 163 million bushels of U.S. corn as of early April – more than twice the 70-million-bushel average normally booked by then, according to K-State Research and Extension economist Bill Tierney.

The figure was also up from 38 million bushels booked by Mexico at the same time last year.

"Based on the current pace of commitments, it’s likely that Mexico’s corn imports [from the United States], could exceed 225 million bushels," Tierney said.

The combined export commitments of corn, milo, wheat and soybeans to Mexico also were record-large for that time of year, he noted.

Commitments to Egypt at 95 million bushels were the second highest on record for early April, the economist said.

The sales to Mexico and Egypt were a bright spot on an otherwise dull export landscape, however. The USDA reported that as of mid-March, overall export commitments to all countries were 1,248 million bushels – 112 million less than last year and below the 25-year average of 1,417 million bushels.

"Export commitments to Japan, which have been behind last year’s pace for all of this year, continue to lag," the economist said. "As of early April, commitments to Japan were 402 million bushels, down 73 million from the same time last year."

Sales to Taiwan and South Korea were also below year-earlier levels.