PotashCorp, the world’s biggest potash producer by capacity, sees "lots of hurdles" to its plans to take over Israel Chemicals Ltd. (ICL), an executive of the Saskatchewan fertilizer company said Wednesday. "We just think the possibility of that transaction and what it can do for us in a soft market, and in a strong market, […] Read more
PotashCorp sees ‘lots of hurdles’ to takeover of ICL
U.S. wheat little changed before holiday
U.S. wheat ended nearly flat on Wednesday as concerns about dry conditions underpinned the market, but corn and soybeans slid in choppy trading the day before the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. Trading was light ahead of the break, leaving markets vulnerable to sudden changes. "In a thin market like this you can push it down a […] Read more
U.S. corn notches third straight gain
Chicago corn climbed to its third straight gain on Tuesday, boosted by tight cash markets and technical buying, and wheat followed on deepening concerns about dry crop conditions. Soybeans turned higher after early losses, aided by short-covering and cuts to South American crop forecasts. Tight corn cash markets, due to limited farmer selling of newly […] Read more
Agrium sees owning Viterra farm stores early next year
Calgary fertilizer giant Agrium expects to close its $575 million purchase of farm retail stores from grain handler Viterra in the first quarter of 2013, after Glencore completes its takeover of Viterra, Agrium CEO Mike Wilson said Wednesday. Swiss commodity firm Glencore International’s takeover of Viterra has been delayed until as late as Dec. 10 […] Read more
Prairie farmers tiptoe in wheat market, sell canola briskly
Canadian farmers are keeping their bins of newly harvested wheat locked as they cautiously ponder their first sales outside a marketing monopoly since the Second World War — while strong demand has pried much of this year’s disappointing canola crop off farms. Farmers have only sold an estimated 20 to 35 per cent of the […] Read more
Heat-damaged canola crop creates supply shortages
Reading Time: 3 minutes Reuters / Supply worries about Canada’s disappointingly small canola harvest this year are compounded by the oilseed’s reduced oil content, crimping profits for crushers and leaving food companies to scramble for other vegetable oils. Expectations were high early in the crop year that a record-large canola crop in Canada would compensate for some of the […] Read more
Canada sees no link between Viterra, Nexen approvals
The Chinese government is treating its role in potential takeovers of two Canadian companies separately, and is not linking them in order to pressure Ottawa to approve a deal between China’s CNOOC Ltd. and Canadian oil producer Nexen Inc., Canada’s agriculture minister said on Tuesday. Approval from China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) under Chinese anti-monopoly […] Read more
Canada’s biggest hog farm weathers crisis, eyes supply risk
Canada’s biggest hog producer, privately held HyLife, is weathering the industry’s severe losses inflicted by the U.S. drought, but fears losing part of its pig supply as buyers line up for other distressed farms, the company’s chief operating officer said on Thursday. While rival Canadian hog producers Big Sky Farms and Puratone Corporation entered receivership […] Read more
Maple Leaf Foods profit falls 24 pct
Canadian food processor Maple Leaf Foods reported a 24 per cent drop in quarterly profit on Wednesday, after the company took a $13 million charge in the value of its hogs. Net earnings for the third quarter ended Sept. 30 fell to $32.6 million, or 22 cents per share, from $43 million, or 29 cents, […] Read more
Dry fall in Western Canada has farmers worried about spring planting
Western Canada’s fertile fields are parched due to below-normal rain this fall and with below-average to normal snowfall expected this winter farmers might see potentially unfavourable spring planting conditions.Most of the region’s farm belt across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba has had well-below normal precipitation during the past three months, ranging from less than 40 per […] Read more
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