MarketsFarm — Commodity prices on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) have found support from recent increases in global export demand. China has purchased nearly 900,000 tonnes of soybeans for delivery during the current marketing year, which began on Sept. 1. “It’s all about Chinese demand,” said Terry Reilly of Futures International in Chicago. “They […] Read more

CBOT weekly outlook: Export demand underpins commodities

Adjustments likely ahead for StatsCan’s early acreage estimates
Projections still in line with grain trade's expectations
MarketsFarm — The results of the first acreage estimates for 2020 from Statistics Canada come with an asterisk, as the COVID-19 pandemic halted data collection early. Canada’s actual seeded area is expected to see some shifts from the projections released Thursday. “As a result of the timing of the COVID-19 pandemic, these estimates were produced […] Read more

Burnett on Markets: Weather woes span the Prairies
The weather during the last half of March provided some optimism about a normal start to spring. Farmers across the Prairies were preparing equipment, taking delivery of seed and fertilizer and looking forward to getting out into the field. Then the weather in early April dropped significant amounts of rain and snow across northern and […] Read more

U.S. projects wheat acres at record lows, increases for soy, corn
Grain stocks as of March 1 down on year
MarketsFarm — As with last year, total wheat acres in the United States are projected to remain at all-time lows, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The department issued its prospective plantings estimates Tuesday. MarketsFarm director of markets and weather Bruce Burnett called USDA’s wheat and soybean estimates positive, while he said its […] Read more

Burnett on Markets: Suddenly agriculture is important
COVID-19 is putting food security in the spotlight
MarketsFarm — A trend has developed in the business news channels over the past week that has not been hard to miss. Suddenly the CEOs of big agriculture and food concerns are being featured front and centre during the business segments. Usually these companies are noted only when they release quarterly results and even then […] Read more

CBOT weekly outlook: Soy, corn wait for next big thing
MarketsFarm — Soybean and corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade have recovered off of nearby lows, but remain rangebound overall waiting for fresh news to push values one way or the other. The U.S. Department of Agriculture holds its Agriculture Outlook Forum on Feb. 20-21. USDA’s first acreage and supply/demand estimates for the […] Read more

Early 2020 forecast points to cooler, drier Prairie spring
MarketsFarm – After 2019’s dry growing season and messy harvest, 2020 may have fairer skies in store for producers across the Canadian Prairies. Following the spring melt, weather in the Prairies is expected to show a bias to the drier side, which will keep excess soil moisture at bay following wet conditions last fall. “The […] Read more

India looking to import pulses
MarketsFarm – Although India has prioritized producing their country’s own pulses self-sufficiently, unprecedented rainfall in October and November could turn the country back to relying on imports. A statement from the chairman of the Indian Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA), Zaverchand Bheda, said as much as 50 per cent of the urad pulse crop was […] Read more

Canada’s canola crush down slightly in August
MarketsFarm — As often has been the case, the canola crush in Canada dipped from July to August, according to Statistics Canada. The federal agency issued its monthly crush numbers on Thursday with 829,778 tonnes of canola crushed in August, down 2.89 per cent from July’s crush. However, August’s crush was the second most so […] Read more

ICE weekly outlook: Canola breaks out of week-long funk
MarketsFarm — It’s unclear yet what effect Thursday’s satellite field crop estimates from Statistics Canada will have on markets. Canola broke out of a six-day funk Wednesday, trending just slightly higher for the first time since Wednesday last week. Technical biases remain to the downside, as prices hover around contract lows. “There are a lot […] Read more