US net export sales of corn outstripped analyst expectations by nearly 500,000 mt in the week ending February 8, with sales reaching nearly 2 MMT. The figures were up 12% on the week and 14% on the four-week average and mark the fifth consecutive week that net export sales have been above 1 MMT. Total commitment so far this marketing year is 36 million mt, which is running well short on the 42 million mt that was committed at this time last year. The rise in net export sales for corn comes at a time when the US is the lowest cost origin in the world for corn and that was evident with the wide array of destinations sold, including 453,000 mt to Japan, 258,000 to Mexico, 200,000 mt to Colombia and 140,000 mt to Saudi Arabia.