CNS Canada — Durum bids in Western Canada are showing strength relative to other wheat classes, with premiums for higher-quality supplies expected to remain in place or widen as the industry awaits Canada’s crop. Canada’s 2014-15 durum crop is estimated at 4.9 million tonnes by Statistics Canada, which compares with 6.5 million the previous year. […] Read more
European quality issues support Prairie durum bids
Alberta farm leader says rail system fix is on track
Ordering the railways to move more grain has grabbed the spotlight, but Kent Erickson says newly enacted legislation will bring long-term gains
Reading Time: 3 minutes New federal rail legislation is the first major step in building a sustainable and reliable rail transportation system, says the chair of the Alberta Wheat Commission. But in the meantime, extending an order-in-council that penalizes the railways if they fail to move a million tonnes of grain a week is the best short-term fix, said […] Read more
Oats prices remain steady, crop quality questionable
CNS Canada — While this year’s oats crop in Canada may not be above-average, prices are staying relatively strong in comparison to other crops, from where one southern Manitoba merchant sits. “They’ve held in very strong relative to corn and wheat,” said Ryan McKnight, a grain merchant for Linear Grain at Carman, Man. “Out of […] Read more
Further losses likely for falling spring wheat futures
CNS Canada — Spring wheat futures at the Minneapolis Grain Exchange hit fresh contract lows over the past week, and are seen as likely to have more room to the downside as North America’s spring wheat harvest is just getting started. However, the Chicago and Kansas City winter wheat contracts are due for a post-harvest […] Read more
New biocontrol to fight fusarium in cereals
Using fire to fight fire, a new biocontrol product could be commercialized for use against fusarium head blight in a year or two. Adjuvants Plus at Kingsville, Ont. has reached a licensing agreement with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to use its patented technology — a fungal organism called Clonostachys rosea, strain ACM941 — to […] Read more
Islamic State militants grab new weapon: Iraqi wheat
Baghdad/Abu Dhabi | Reuters — After seizing five oil fields and Iraq’s biggest dam, Sunni militants bent on creating an Islamic empire in the Middle East now control yet another powerful economic weapon: wheat supplies. Fighters from the Islamic State have overrun large areas in five of Iraq’s most fertile provinces, where the United Nations […] Read more
Southern Alta. barley harvest underway
CNS Canada — Harvest started this week for some barley crops in southern Alberta — parts of which have reported little or no rain for weeks. “I’m in southern Alberta (where) we just started harvest on our barley (on Monday), and I would say that the barley crops look good, (but) we’ve been a bit […] Read more
Prairie winter wheat harvest to ‘drag on’
CNS Canada — The winter wheat harvest is underway in some parts of the Prairies, but because of variable conditions, activities are expected to ‘drag on’ this year. “Some people are saying some of it may run into the spring crops,” said Jake Davidson of Winter Cereals Canada at Minnedosa, Man. “But overall things are […] Read more
USDA projects record U.S. corn, soybean production
Reuters — U.S. corn production will crack the 14-billion-bushel mark for the first time in 2014, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Tuesday, but the crop was slightly below trade expectations, potentially giving a bullish kick to the beaten-down corn futures market. At 14.03 billion bushels, the estimated crop fell short of trade estimates […] Read more
Improving basis boosts Prairie wheat bids
CNS Canada — Average bids for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) wheat were stronger during the week ended Monday, as improving basis levels more than compensated for declines in U.S. futures. Average spot bids for CWRS (13.5 per cent protein) across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta came in Monday at […] Read more
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