While the commodity’s cachet is growing online, real-world supplies have been hit by war and extreme weather.
(Bloomberg) — Corn is having a viral moment on the Internet just as commodity traders worry about tight supplies.
The online obsession began earlier this month after Julian Shapiro-Barnum — who produces the video series, Recess Therapy — interviewed a young boy who really, really seems to love corn. The original video, in which the boy describes corn as “a big lump with knobs,” was picked up by a meme account on TikTok, where it drew 16 million views. A musical remix posted by The Gregory Brothers achieved even wider recognition with more than 33 million views on the social platform. It even inspired spin-off videos from brands like United Airlines and the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.
“Ever since I was told corn is real, it tasted good,” the boy says in the video. “When I tried it with butter, everything changed.”
@recesstherapy
Children of the… corn? #recesstherapy #corn #cornisgood #fyp #favorite
♬ original sound – Recess Therapy
While corn’s cachet is growing in the online world, real-world supplies have been squeezed. This year, though, supplies of corn have been cut significantly. The war between Ukraine and Russia, which together account for about a fifth of world exports, has disrupted the market. Meanwhile in the US, the world’s biggest producer and exporter, the crop has been decimated by extreme weather.
That can’t diminish corn’s appeal for the Corn Kid — as the boy in the video is now known on the Internet. “Look at this thing. I cannot imagine a more beautiful thing,” he says in the viral hit. “It’s corn!”
This year’s corn fields are anything but pretty, however. Scorching heat, prolonged drought, ravenous pests and damaging hail have hit this year’s crops, leaving cobs of the grain unusually small — if the stalks have ears at all. Others are stunted and brown. Yield outlooks in the US trail last year’s averages.
Read More: Stunted Corn Plants Stoke Fears of Looming US Shortage
It’s not just Corn Kid who is a fan of corn. World consumption of the grain has about doubled the last two decades, according to US government figures. Demand is driven by a growing global population and its use in many products: sweet corn is generally eaten on the cob; white corn is used for chips and tortillas; commodity, or yellow dent corn that’s nearly inedible, is used for sweeteners, feed and fuel.
@schmoyoho
intro song for any meal/snack with corn – from iconic interview on @doingthings
♬ Corn but it becomes a song and unites world – schmoyoho
In the video, Corn Kid says he thinks the cob he’s eating should cost $1. Prices of the commodity have doubled in the past two years and the scorched crops and ongoing war in Ukraine mean prices are likely to stay elevated for the foreseeable days ahead.
After drought shriveled US corn plants in the western crop belt, all eyes turned to Iowa, the biggest producer in the country, to help save the national harvest. Instead, the fields have been “underwhelming,” “disappointing,” and just “not great.”
For his part, Corn Kid is monetizing his fame with a Cameo account, where users can commission a personalized video message starting at $145.
“I can tell you all about it,” he says in the original interview. “I hope you guys have a corntastic day!”
(Updates with latest crop tour results in ninth paragraph.)
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.
