Given the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, the country might seem like a risky place to conduct a 10-day crop tour. But Mike Lee’s confident he can pull it off. “A lot of people think we’re completely nuts for going there. But to me, it’s not that crazy. It’s a fairly normal, straightforward place if […] Read more
Guenther: ‘Full story’ sought on crop health in Ukraine, Russia
Russia starts spring seeding with raised hopes for harvest
Moscow | Reuters –– Russian farmers have started their spring seeding campaign with prospects for the 2015 crop brighter than first thought, the agriculture ministry said on Wednesday. Russia, one of the main key wheat exporters to North Africa and the Middle East, needs a good crop after a sharp drop in the rouble has […] Read more
Ukraine ceasefire may, or may not, weigh on wheat
CNS Canada –– A tentative ceasefire in eastern Ukraine could lead to adjustments in the global grain markets, with softening wheat prices a possibility. Conflict in eastern Ukraine has been an underlying factor in grains and oilseeds markets over the past year, with the uncertainty of the situation providing both bearish and bullish incentives for […] Read more
Politics no barrier as Iran, Russia buy U.S. grain
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. political tensions with Iran and Russia have proved no barrier to those countries buying American grain, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday. Iran bought 66,000 tonnes of U.S. corn last week for the first time in three years, according to USDA weekly export sales […] Read more
France says Russia to lift ban on live pigs, some pork products
Paris | Reuters –– Russia’s veterinary services has agreed to lift a ban on French live pigs, offal and fat imposed a year ago after an outbreak of African swine fever in the east of the European Union, the French farm ministry said. Russia imposed the ban on EU pork products early in 2014 following […] Read more
Russia may consider grain export ban, but not yet, deputy PM says
Moscow | Reuters — Russia might consider banning grain exports altogether if informal trade restrictions already in place fail to benefit the economy as hoped, a senior minister said Monday. The bulk of Russia’s grain output is wheat, for which it is expected to be the world’s fourth-largest exporter this year. But in response to […] Read more
Russia’s domestic wheat prices decline due to export curbs
Moscow | Reuters — Russia’s domestic wheat prices have declined since the start of the year as the government has curbed exports with informal limits ahead of the introduction of an official export tax, analysts said on Friday. Russia, expected to be the world’s fourth-largest wheat exporter this year, imposed tougher quality monitoring of grain […] Read more
Russia seen adding new informal grain export curbs in 2015
Moscow | Reuters — Russia has strengthened informal curbs on grain exports since the start of the year, further complicating trading before the introduction of an export tax, a Russian grain exporters’ lobby said Tuesday in a letter to officials. Russia, expected to be the world’s fourth-largest exporter this year, hopes export curbs will cool […] Read more
Brazil exported 3.3 per cent more beef in 2014, industry says
Sao Paulo | Reuters –– Brazil, the world’s top beef exporter, shipped 1.56 million tonnes of meat abroad in 2014, 3.3 per cent more than it did in 2013, industry association Abiec said on Thursday. Volumes exported were near the 2007 record of 1.62 million tonnes. Beef exports by value were a record US$7.2 billion […] Read more
Russian grain exports seen reviving as informal curbs ease
Moscow | Reuters –– Russian grain exports have picked up again after a decision to impose official export duties reduced informal curbs that had all but stopped sales abroad, SovEcon agriculture consultancy said on Saturday. Russia, the world’s fourth-largest wheat exporter, introduced informal grain export controls last week to try and cool domestic wheat prices […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
