Harare | Reuters — Zimbabwe has only 100,000 tonnes of grain in its strategic reserves, enough to last just over a month, as the southern African nation suffers the effects of a severe drought, according to the agriculture minister. More than half the country’s population faces food shortages after maize harvests halved last year. The […] Read more
Zimbabwe says grain stocks running out after drought
Variable Prairie weather makes for uncertain spring ahead
If nothing else, a rainy harvest season helped replenish topsoil moisture
MarketsFarm — Late-season rains wreaked havoc on the 2019 harvest season but were helpful in restoring topsoil moisture to key growing regions in the Prairies. Since snow coverage has been variable across the Prairies so far in 2020, however, the growing season may get off to a rocky start. “If we take a look at […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soy futures ease on rains in South American forecasts
Reuters — U.S. soybean futures edged lower on Thursday, retreating from a five-week high touched earlier this week as traders expected rains to benefit rival suppliers in South America. Favourable crop weather could boost production in Argentina and Brazil, increasing global supplies and competition for export sales to buyers like China. Rains will ease dry […] Read more
Millions of acres of canola freeze, compound ‘harvest from hell’
Winnipeg | Reuters — Heavy snow and rain during harvest on the Canadian Prairies have left several million acres of canola buried until spring, the latest blow in a miserable year that may compound farmer problems into 2020. Canola is renowned as Canada’s most profitable crop, exported to China, Japan and Mexico to make vegetable […] Read more
Manitoba’s sunflower crop under threat from weather
MarketsFarm — Manitoba’s sunflower crop has been compromised by the snow that fell over Thanksgiving weekend, but it’s not yet clear what percentage of the crop will be impacted. Before the snow fell, windy and rainy weather took a toll on the sunflower crop. The soil was oversaturated to the point that sunflower roots couldn’t […] Read more
Wet fall raises risk of Manitoba spring flood
MarketsFarm — Manitoba’s Red River Valley is very wet heading into the winter freeze, but it’s still too early to say if the saturated soils will lead to flooding in the spring, according to provincial forecasters. The Manitoba government on Wednesday took the unprecedented step of opening the Red River Floodway, marking the first time […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Upside limited for canola’s snow boost
MarketsFarm — An unwelcomed early winter storm sent ICE Futures canola contracts higher during the week ended Wednesday, but it will take outside support to sustain a rally, according to industry participants. Snow in Alberta and Saskatchewan and cool and wet conditions in Manitoba slowed harvest operations during the week, with about 60 per cent […] Read more
Spring wheat futures rally on North American weather woes
MarketsFarm — Weather-related quality issues with North American spring wheat crops saw Minneapolis spring wheat futures rally sharply over the past three weeks, with more room to the upside as concerns mount over the state of the crop. The December contract hit a multi-year low of $4.865 per bushel at the beginning of September, but […] Read more
Wet harvests hurt U.S., Canadian spring wheat quality
Chicago | Reuters — Excessively wet conditions in the northern U.S. Plains and Canadian Prairies have hurt the quality of the region’s spring and durum wheat crops, potentially tightening supplies of top grades of the grains, handlers and agronomists said. Rains and heavy dew have slowed the harvest and, worse, caused mature, un-harvested wheat kernels […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Uncertainty, lack of farmer selling lift canola bids
MarketsFarm — Over the last week or so canola prices have been largely supported by two factors, according to Errol Anderson of Pro Market Communications in Calgary. “To some degree it’s still crop uncertainty and growers aren’t selling.” Cash bids have varied widely, he said, while spot premiums have shot up a bit. “That indicates […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
