Chicago | Reuters — Global grain marketers have seized upon trade tensions between the United States and several of its top export markets, including China, to turn around struggling trading units following one of the toughest years ever for the industry. After five years of bumper harvests worldwide that depressed crop prices, trading margins are […] Read more
Trade rows spell gain, and pain, for U.S. grain exporters
Germany plans to toughen conditions for insecticide use
Berlin | Reuters — Germany plans to make it more difficult for farmers to use crop insecticides in a bid to preserve biodiversity, an environment ministry document showed. “Insect biomass has fallen by more than 75 per cent in the last 27 years in Germany,” according to the paper seen by Reuters on Wednesday, saying […] Read more
Voting scheduled for CP employees on verge of strike
Engineers, conductors and signal maintainers who’d been poised to walk off the job at Canadian Pacific Railway almost two weeks ago will instead continue business as usual until at least May 26. The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) this week informed CP and two of its employees’ unions — the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Saskatchewan acreage ideas hold firm
CNS Canada — Disruptions in marketing to India may have cut into prices for peas and lentils over the past year, but farmers in Saskatchewan did not shift their pulse acreage intentions for 2018 all that much according to the results of Statistics Canada’s latest survey, released Friday. Saskatchewan farmers intend to seed 2.171 million […] Read more
May showers likely to leave growers unsatisfied
CNS Canada — Canada’s Prairies can expect to see regular rainfall in most regions during May, but it likely won’t be enough to offset dry conditions recorded over the past several months. According to Drew Lerner of World Weather Inc. in Kansas City, the first half of May should see average rainfall amounts in most […] Read more
Confusion surrounds India’s latest pea import curb
The fine detail in the announcement of a new cap on pea imports into India has led to new uncertainty over whether the cap applies to yellow peas, or all peas. India’s commerce and industry ministry announced Wednesday that pea imports between April 1 and June 30 this year are now restricted to a total […] Read more
Grain trade skeptical of StatsCan’s acreage outlook
CNS Canada — After predictions of record canola area and a drop in pulse acres, traders and analysts are doubtful of Statistics Canada’s predictions for smaller canola acres, much larger wheat acres and only minor reductions in pulse acres. “It’s unusual for everybody to just be this out of whack on this report,” said Ken […] Read more
CTA to bump up Prairie grain freight cost index
Fuel and infrastructure improvements are expected to push up the cost of railroading and, in turn, the index guiding how much money Canada’s big two railways get to keep from hauling Prairie grain in the next crop year. The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) on Wednesday announced it will set the volume-related composite price index (VRCPI) […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Prairie lentils look for spark
CNS Canada — It’s not exactly a banner time for the lentil market. Prices have been steady to slightly lower over the past month as lacklustre interest and Indian tariffs on peas and chickpeas have largely dissuaded farmers from planting pulses in general. “I think the impact and extension of the impact of the Indian […] Read more
Grain handle drops in CN’s first quarter
Reduced traffic in grain, fertilizers and petroleum, against increased costs from “challenging operating conditions,” ate into the first-quarter bottom line for Canadian National Railway (CN). Montreal-based CN on Monday booked net income of $741 million on total revenues of $3.194 billion for its quarter ending March 31, down from $884 million on $3.206 billion in […] Read more
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