MarketsFarm — Mixed precipitation throughout January helped drought conditions improve across much of the Canadian Prairies during the month, according to the latest Drought Monitor report from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), released Tuesday. Conditions have deteriorated in some areas, however, and the majority of Western Canada was still in some kind of drought state. […] Read more
Drought conditions ease slightly across Prairies
Pulse weekly outlook: Pulse stocks drop due to drought
MarketsFarm — Statistics Canada’s latest report on stocks of principal field crops clearly demonstrated how much of an effect last summer’s historic drought in Western Canada had on pulse crops. According to the report released Tuesday, last December’s total domestic stocks for dry peas, chickpeas, lentils and soybeans all declined from the year earlier. Those […] Read more
Greek farmers stage tractor protest against soaring energy costs
Larissa | Reuters — Farmers in central Greece on Friday protested with hundreds of tractors against soaring energy costs, dismissing government support measures as inadequate and demanding more help to cope with rising prices. The farmers parked tractors on a national highway near the town of Larissa in central Greece, where they faced off with […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Lentil prices decline, may shift in spring
MarketsFarm — Prices for Canadian lentils, along with other pulses in the country, have slightly declined since the start of 2022. However, one pulse buyer thinks the next few months can recharge the market. Lionel Ector, president of Diefenbaker Spice and Pulse at Elbow, Sask., explained that a good Australian lentil harvest in December has […] Read more
Nutrien eyes potash production boost amid turmoil in Russia, Belarus
Idled Saskatchewan mines could be restarted
Winnipeg | Reuters — Nutrien, the world’s biggest potash miner, could boost production by up to 29 per cent in coming years, depending on any sanctions facing rival producers in Russia and Belarus, the Canadian company’s interim CEO told Reuters. Prices of granular potash fertilizer are near 10-year highs in the United States and Brazil, […] Read more
Year-end profits up for CN, CP despite lower grain handles
Railways' ledgers weather drought, B.C. disasters
Both of Canada’s big two railways were able to improve their overall gross and net in 2021 over 2020 despite a yield-robbing drought and disastrous track and bridge washouts in southern British Columbia. Canadian National Railway (CN) on Tuesday reported 2021 net income of $4.892 billion on $14.477 billion in gross revenue, up from $3.784 […] Read more
Viterra to buy Marubeni’s U.S. grain firm Gavilon
Grain handler looking to expand reach in Americas through acquisitions
Grain firm Viterra’s plans to buy an expanded global reach are about to move forward with a 10-figure deal for the bulk of U.S. ag commodity firm Gavilon’s grain business. Viterra, owned by commodities firm Glencore and two Canadian public-sector pension funds, announced Wednesday it will pay $1.125 billion to buy Omaha-based Gavilon from the […] Read more
CN names new CEO, easing tussle with investor
Former CP executive Tracy Robinson returns to rail
Reuters — Canadian National Railway on Tuesday named industry veteran Tracy Robinson as its new chief executive officer, soothing a months-long tussle with its second-largest shareholder over leadership at the railroad operator. Robinson will replace Jean-Jacques Ruest, who announced his decision to step down from the role in October following investor demands for his exit […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Early signs point to larger Canadian crops
MarketsFarm — Early signs point to a sizeable increase in Canadian pulse production in 2022-23, but co-operative weather will be needed to meet those expectations. Strong returns over the past year relative to other crops should encourage farmers to seed more peas and lentils in 2022, according to the first outlook for the new crop […] Read more
Larger Canadian crops predicted in AAFC’s first 2022 outlook
MarketsFarm — A return to trend-line yields after the past year’s drought should lead to a significant increase in Canadian crop production in 2022, according to the first supply/demand estimates for the 2022-23 season from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), released late Friday. Seeded area is expected to be up for wheat and the pulses, […] Read more
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