CBOT May 2023 soft red winter wheat with 20-day moving average, MGEX May 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. May 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat, corn get boost off weaker dollar after multi-month lows

Expectations grow for Black Sea deal extension

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat futures closed higher on Friday, boosted by a weaker U.S. dollar, after hitting a 20-month low, while corn futures rose from a seven-month low. The markets recovered after a week that saw expectations for an extended Black Sea export deal and a lower U.S. government estimate for corn export […] Read more

A wall in the medina (ancient city quarter) of Rabat, Morocco’s capital. (Cia.gov)

Morocco adjusts wheat import scheme in nod to Black Sea

Move could bump up competition among exporters

Rabat/Paris | Reuters — Morocco, a major cereal importer, has modified its wheat import subsidy scheme to make it easier for companies to bring in cargoes from the Black Sea region, an official at state grain agency ONICL said on Wednesday. The revision, also reported by traders, means that as of March importers are able […] Read more


An ammonia and nitrogen fertilizer plant in Russia. (Saoirse_2010/iStock/Getty Images)

Russia, U.S. bicker at UN over donating fertilizer to Syria

U.S. calls for Russia to distribute via UN

United Nations | Reuters — Russia and the United States bickered on Tuesday over whether Russian fertilizer could be donated to Syria as Moscow heightens complaints about obstacles to its fertilizer shipments before the renewal of a deal allowing Ukraine Black Sea grain exports. Some 260,000 tonnes of Russian fertilizer has been stuck in several […] Read more

Corn being harvested in west-central Ukraine. Much of the crop still hasn’t been combined and is unlikely to be profitable, but farmers will sow corn again this year nevertheless.

The winter corn harvest symbolizes Ukrainian endurance

The challenges faced by farmers never end, but they always find a way around them

Reading Time: 4 minutes Have you ever seen combines in the middle of January going into a field? And behind them huge disc harrows? It’s no wonder that this year Ukrainian farmers use some warm days in the middle of winter to harvest corn. After almost a year of war, thousands of combine harvesters were destroyed or stolen by […] Read more


CBOT March 2023 soybeans with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soy, corn, wheat inch higher ahead of holiday weekend

Chicago markets close Monday for Presidents Day

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade corn, soybean and wheat futures closed modestly higher on Friday as traders squared positions ahead of a three-day U.S. weekend and weighed contrasting crop prospects in South America, analysts said. Uncertainty about the future of a Black Sea grain export corridor underpinned values, while a firming dollar […] Read more

CBOT March 2023 corn with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

CBOT weekly outlook: Values pull back from upper ranges

Early U.S. estimate of planting intentions due out next week

MarketsFarm — Despite some bullish influences, commodity prices at the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) were stepping back in mid-February. That movement wasn’t a surprise to Scott Capinegro of Barrington Commodity Brokers in Barrington, Ill. Prices for corn, soybeans and wheat had been at the upper end of their ranges, he said. “We are still […] Read more


Cargo ship Despina V, carrying Ukrainian grain, is seen in the Black Sea off Kilyos near Istanbul, Turkey on Nov. 2, 2022.  (Photo: Reuters/Umit Bektas)

Russia says sanctions a barrier to Black Sea grain deal renewal

Reuters — Russia said Monday it would be “inappropriate” to extend the Black Sea grain deal unless sanctions affecting its agricultural exports are lifted and other issues are resolved. The Black Sea Grain Initiative, signed by Russia and Ukraine last July, created a safe corridor to allow grain to be exported from Ukrainian ports blockaded […] Read more

CBOT March 2023 soft red winter wheat with Bollinger bands (20,2), MGEX March 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. March 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat strong on concerns about Ukraine, Russian exports

Chicago corn, soy futures rise

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures rallied on Friday, supported by concerns the grain deal allowing for Russian and Ukraine exports from Black Sea ports could splinter amid escalations in the nearly year-long war between the two countries, traders said. Corn and soybean futures also were strong, with corn following the gains in wheat […] Read more



CBOT March 2023 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans, corn retreat off multi-month highs

Putin's comments on exports underpin wheat

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn and soybean futures settled lower on Wednesday as traders booked profits after both markets set multi-month highs and as weather forecasts promised much-needed rains in Argentina’s crop belt, traders said. Wheat followed the weaker trend. Chicago Board of Trade March soybeans settled down 15-1/4 cents at $15.24-1/2 per bushel, […] Read more