USDA maintains outlook for 2025/26 soyabean oil use in biofuel production and lowers US soyabean output estimate

The USDA’s 2024/25 projection for soyabean oil use in biofuel was also unchanged at 12.25bn pounds (5.6M tonnes), while 2023/24 usage was estimated at 12.989bn pounds (5.9M tonnes), Biodiesel Magazine wrote.

For 2025/26, US soyabean production was forecast at 4.3bn bushels, down 43M bushels from the previous outlook, due to a reduced planted area of 80.1M acres (32.4Mha) (2.4M acres less than July’s estimate), the 13 August report said.

A yield increase to 53.6 bushels/acre partly offset the decline in planted area.

Beginning stocks were lowered by 20M bushels, reflecting higher crushing levels and export volumes the previous year.

With a slow pace of export sales, US soyabean exports were reduced by 40M bushels, while crush remained unchanged at 2.54bn bushels.

Ending stocks were now projected at 290M bushels, down 20M bushels from the previous month.

Globally, 2025/26 soyabean production, exports and ending stocks were all forecast lower, mainly due to reduced output in the USA and Serbia.

While US exports estimates were reduced, projections were raised for Argentina and Uruguay.

Imports were reduced for the European Union (EU), Iran and Vietnam, with global ending stocks now estimated at 124.9M tonnes, down 1.2M tonnes from the previous month’s forecast.

Tags: USDA, US, Production, forecast, yield, stocks, soyabean, biofuel, soyabean oil