Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade grain futures fell on Tuesday, amid growing concern over a possible U.S. rail strike and market speculation that U.S. grain buyers were purchasing European Union wheat, traders said. French wheat sales to China and the prospect of Polish or German wheat being booked in the United States […] Read more

U.S. grains: Futures slip on rail strike threat, EU wheat talk
U.S. winter crop ratings at lowest since at least 1986

BROKEN PROMISES: It’s been five years of frustration with EU trade deal
The high hopes sparked by the deal are in tatters as Europe keeps doors largely closed to Canadian beef
Reading Time: 5 minutes Dan Darling remembers the tough slog of negotiations in free-trade talks with Europe — and the hope that they would end with major gains for Canadian beef. But five years after the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) with Europe, talks continue and potential benefits remain unrealized. “When we were negotiating the deal, […] Read more

U.N.’s Black Sea grain deal continues without Russia
London | Reuters – Grain was flowing out of Ukraine at a record pace on Monday under an initiative led by the United Nations aimed at easing global food shortages despite Russia’s decision to suspend its participation in the scheme. Russia said on Saturday it was pulling out of the deal, which ensured safe passage […] Read more

U.N., Moscow discuss Russian grain, fertilizer exports
Grain not getting to poorer countries, Putin alleges
United Nations | Reuters — Senior U.N. and Russian officials met in Geneva on Wednesday to discuss Russian complaints that Western sanctions were impeding its grain and fertilizer exports despite a U.N.-brokered deal to boost Russian and Ukrainian shipments of the commodities. The United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia agreed on July 22 on what […] Read more

EU crops to face some challenges in 2022-23
MarketsFarm — Total grain production in the European Union is expected to decrease overall by 2.4 per cent in 2022-23, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture attachés throughout the multi-nation bloc. For the coming crop year, they forecast production to be 286.02 million tonnes of wheat, corn, barley, rye, oats, mixed grains and others. One […] Read more

EU’s oilseed yields expected to decline in 2022-23
USDA's attaches predict uptick in EU's oilseed acres
MarketsFarm — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) attachés in Europe have projected oilseed production in the 27-member European Union to increase just slightly in 2022-23. The 18 attachés involved in the report expect about 31.07 million tonnes in total, for a 0.4 per cent bump in total oilseed output from 2021-22. The oilseeds included […] Read more

EU offers farmers aid, more land to grow due to Ukraine war
Brussels | Reuters — The European Union will distribute 500 million euros (C$692 million) to help farmers and allow them to grow crops on fallow land to mitigate food price spikes and potential shortages resulting from Russia’s war in Ukraine. Published on Wednesday, the proposals by the EU’s executive European Commission also include assistance to […] Read more

EU predicts pain for farmers, consumers from Ukraine crisis
Brussels | Reuters — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and EU sanctions on Moscow will prove painful for farmers, consumers, fertilizer makers and exporters of farm products, the European Commission warned on Monday. Michael Scannell, deputy director-general of the Commission’s agriculture division, said grain buyers should brace for higher prices given that Russia and Ukraine made […] Read more

China blocks Lithuanian beef, dairy, beer as Taiwan row grows
Canada seeks to join EU trade case against China
Beijing/Vilnius | Reuters — China suspended imports of beef, dairy and beer from Lithuania this week, Lithuania’s veterinary control agency said on Thursday, amid a growing trade dispute over the Baltic nation’s relations with Taiwan. China’s General Administration of Customs had informed the country it was halting the exports due to “lack of documentation,” the […] Read more

Yara brings most European ammonia production back on stream
Rising fertilizer prices make resumption profitable
Oslo | Reuters — Yara has brought most of its European ammonia production back on line after prices of finished fertilizers rose to make up for a surge in the cost of gas, the Norwegian fertilizer manufacturer said on Wednesday. The company cut back ammonia production at a number of sites in Europe from September […] Read more