You may be missing some other facts in your statements. Panamax frt is trading at 12.00 per metric ton which is 32.5 cents. The vessels Cargill supposedly chartered are handy size which may be more expensive, but I'm not sure. Let's face the facts. If we want to open up markets like China and the pacific rim countries to U.S. grains and oilseeds, we can't shut our doors if it is economically more feasable to import beans to the U.S. for 3 months.
Free trade is just that.
World wide trade is a 2 way street and there will be more market volatility as a result of less government manipulation of prices. It is pure competion and supply and demand factors. High commodity prices are fine for a short period of time and you must take advantage of them when the market offers it, but high prices, in a free market, will eventually cause much lower prices in the future as you kill off your demand base. Look what has happend to the corn market. Last years 5 dollar corn was great to the very few lucky ones who still had corn to sell.