US FOB Gulf corn and soyabean basis values were mostly steady on Thursday, with soyabeans supported by talk of fresh sales to China, traders said.
Barge freight remained weak on major rivers used to haul grain to the Gulf Coast, with St. Louis trading at 475 percent of tariff and Illinois River at 500 percent.
Traders said slow farmer selling had crimped demand from shippers, while supplies of empty barges had increased.
Soyabean basis offers were steady, but prices in the CIF barge market were higher amid talk of sales to China.
"There is talk that China bought three to four cargoes off the PNW," said a trader, referring to shipment from the Pacific Northwest.
Another trader said he sold a barge of soyabeans for September shipment at 45 cents a bushel premium the CBOT November contract in the CIF market.
USDA said soya export sales last week were 752,000 tonnes, up 26 percent from the previous week. USDA said 233,000 tonnes were sold to unknown buyers, and China booked 223,000 tonnes.
Separately, the USDA said private exporters had reported the sale of 120,000 tonnes of US soya to China.
Hard red winter wheat exports from Texas Gulf ports were disrupted by Hurricane Rita, which was barring across the Gulf of Mexico toward Texas.