Corn Planting and Harvest Seasons

Corn crops around the world have their own unique production cycles of planting and harvest timeframes. Below are the window of opportunities for planting and harvesting corn crops within each country. Grain prices tend to fluctuate the most during the growing seasons, as supply expectations can shift significantly due to planted acreage, weather and growing conditions.

In the United States, most of the corn crop is grown in the Midwest. Typically, the southernmost areas will begin planting first and then the most northern areas will begin planting as the snow is gone and the soil is thawed.

United States (39 percent of world production)
Planting: Corn crops are planted beginning in April and last into June.
Harvest: Corn is mainly harvested in October and is finished by the end of November.

China (21 percent of world production)
Planting: Corn is planted in mid-March through early June.
Harvest: August through October.

European Union (8 percent of world production)
Planting: Mid-April through early June.
Harvest: Mid-August through late October.

[b[Brazil (6 percent of world production)
Planting: Early August through November.
Harvest: February through May.

Argentina (3 percent of world production)
Planting: October through November.
Harvest: March through May.