Canada may see 5% boost in wheat output
Canada’s grain output in the upcoming marketing year is forecast to increase by nearly 5%, boosted mainly by a surge in wheat production, according to a report from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture. The FAS, which issued the Global Agricultural Information Network report on April 24, forecasts a 5.4% increase in Canadian total wheat production to 33.7 million tonnes in 2024-25, slightly higher than the five-year average. Overall grain production is seen increasing by…
Argentina investing in new grain port
The Argentine government said it plans to invest approximately $550 million to build a new grain port in the Rosario region. The region is considered a vital agricultural center for Argentina, accounting for more than 80% of the country’s agricultural and agro-industrial exports.
CoBank: Grain, oilseed prices continue to slide
Grain and oilseed prices continued to slide last quarter under pressure of a strengthening US dollar, arrival of the South American harvest and plentiful domestic inventories, according to a new quarterly report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange. Corn, grain sorghum, barley and oats all saw major reductions since last year, while soybeans, cotton, spring wheat and durum wheat each experienced increases, the report said.
Grain market review: Coarse grains
Short covering by funds, in the absence of new bearish news, sparked a small-scale recovery in maize (corn) prices, following recent declines. The European Confederation of Maize Production (CEPM) in its March 19 Corn Market publication said, “US maize prices continue to consolidate with a second consecutive week of gains, following 10 weeks of continuous declines between early January and Feb. 20. This is due to a more cautious attitude on the part of non-commercial funds, which are covering part…
Focus on Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia produced nearly double the wheat expected in the 2022-23 marketing year and is on track for similar results in 2023-24 as government purchase prices remain high. Production totaled 1.18 million tonnes in 2022-23 and is estimated at 1.2 million tonnes in 2023-24, according to a report from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The government offered a purchase price of $466.70 per tonne.
Cargill offers canola program in Canada.
With a rising interest in canola as a renewable fuel feedstock, Canadian growers will be able to access new and growing markets through the Cargill Power Canola program, which will begin enrollment this month for the 2024 crop year. Canada’s Clean Fuel Regulations, the US Renewable Fuel Standard and the 2BS voluntary sustainability program in the European Union recognize canola as a low-carbon intensity feedstock for biofuels when grown using sustainable practices. Cargill Power Canola provides growers access to these…
Discord impacting EU grain, feed industries
Intensifying protests have left the Ukrainian-European Union (EU) border nearly paralyzed, jeopardizing one of the export lifelines of the reeling Ukrainian economy. The rally backed by farmers all over the bloc, however, is increasingly seen as an attempt to revolt against the EU’s environmental policy. Footage of grain spilled from a truck near the Shehyni-Medyka checkpoint on the Ukraine-Poland border has quickly become viral on social media networks, turning into a symbol of the growing dissent on the economic and,…
Shifting population and income levels shape global ag demand
Changes in population and income levels will shift food demand and placement of corporate assets, Michael Zerr, long-term model lead, Cargill, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US, told attendees at the opening session of the International Sweetener Colloquium on Feb. 26. When you think 10 years out, it’s not so much about prices as “how does Cargill place assets across the supply chain,” Zerr said. Long-term drivers are population growth and gross domestic product.
Grain market review: Oilseeds
The popularity of soybeans with US producers, as they plant for 2024-25, has put pressure on prices, particularly following an upward revision to the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) planted area forecast. Big Brazilian and Argentine production at the same time as softening Chinese demand also contributed to the forecast. In a paper, “Grains and Oilseeds Outlook for 2024,” published Feb. 15 at the Agricultural Outlook Forum 2024, the USDA said: “Soybean area is expected to increase as demand for…
Study details Ukraine war’s wheat market impact.
As the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine draws near, a recently published research paper on the long-term impact the war has had on global wheat prices and market responses paints a relatively optimistic picture. The study, which was co-authored by researchers from the University of Illinois and Texas Tech University, found that although prices initially spiked in the first several months after the invasion, they have sharply declined since then as other wheat-producing countries have compensated for the…