Ahead of the February supply and demand estimates from the United States Department of Agriculture, the department’s attaché in Buenos Aires issued their grain and feed update on Argentina.

USDA attaché sees improvement in Argentina wheat, corn
Recent hot spell in Argentina may have eroded potential corn yields

CBOT weekly outlook: Trade uncertainty weighs
MarketsFarm — Lack of demand for corn exports has continued to drag prices on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) and the U.S. dollar has been stronger recently, making exports even less attractive, according to Terry Reilly, a grains analyst with Futures International. In contrast, consistent soybean sales since Monday have provided some support to […] Read more

U.S. grains: Corn hits contract lows
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures fell to contract lows on Friday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture raised its forecast of U.S. corn ending stocks above a range of trade expectations, reflecting a drop in the government’s corn export forecast. U.S. soybean futures also declined and wheat recorded a fifth straight weekly decline, […] Read more

U.S. farmers slam Trump’s Cuba clampdown
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. farm groups criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to retreat from his predecessor’s opening toward Cuba, saying it could derail huge increases in farm exports that totaled US$221 million last year. A trade delegation from Minnesota, one of the largest U.S. agriculture states, vowed to carry on with its planned visit […] Read more

Mexico eyes Brazil farm products as hedge on Trump threat
Brasilia | Reuters — Amid trade tensions with the U.S., Mexico plans to send a delegation next month to visit Brazilian corn, beef, chicken and soy producers as an alternative to U.S. suppliers, its representative in Brazil said on Friday. Mexican charge d’affaires Eleazar Velasco said Brazil is uniquely positioned to expand agricultural commodity sales […] Read more

China approves corn export permits to two companies
Beijing | Reuters –– China has given approval to at least two companies to export corn, two sources with knowledge of the matter said, in a radical move by the world’s No. 2 producer to cut its ballooning surplus that could add more supply to a saturated global market. The move threatens to push U.S. […] Read more

Russia now expected to leave grain tax scheme intact
Moscow | Reuters — Russia, one of the world’s largest wheat exporters, is not expected to change its current regime of taxes on grain exports, sources said on Friday, following proposals to change them. Concerns over the possibility of tougher limits on Russia’s foreign sales of wheat sent global prices to a one-month high earlier […] Read more

Views mixed on impact of crude’s slip for ag markets
CNS Canada — While just about everyone agrees the plunging price of oil will have a bearish effect on commodity prices, the size and impact of that fall seems to vary. As recently as Nov. 4, crude oil prices were $48.64 a barrel, but since then have fallen to US$37.86, as of Wednesday’s opening. Some […] Read more

Argentina ag minister says grain export taxes on way out
Buenos Aires | Reuters –– Argentina’s incoming government will abolish export taxes on corn and wheat the day after it assumes office and reduce the export tax on soy by five per cent, designated Agriculture Minister Ricardo Buryaile confirmed to the daily Clarin. President-elect Mauricio Macri won the election last Sunday on a platform of […] Read more

China plans to cut domestic corn prices to shrink stockpiles
Beijing | Reuters — Beijing plans to cut local corn prices for a second year as it pushes to reignite stalled demand from its crisis-hit grain processors and whittle down the world’s biggest corn stockpile, industry sources said. In its latest move to boost a sector that has struggled with the world’s most expensive domestic […] Read more