A farm worker unloads Ukrainian-made fertilizer from a truck on April 5, 2022 to use on a wheat field near the village of Yakovlivka, outside Kharkiv, after it was hit by an aerial bombardment. (Photo: Reuters/Thomas Peter)

Farming behind the lines: Ukraine’s farmers sow amidst wreckage

Despite their best efforts, however, famine looms as war rages

In early April, Ukrainian soldiers expelled the Russian invaders from the northern regions of Ukraine: Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy regions. The wounded enemy left, leaving behind burned-out war machines and the unburied corpses of his soldiers. However, the invaders managed to do a lot of damage. Many of you are probably aware of the atrocities […] Read more

File photo of a bulk port facility in Ukraine. (Olivia Sabeskaya/iStock/Getty Images)

Ukraine grain storage shortage adds to farmers’ woes

Zurich | Reuters — Ukraine has insufficient storage capacity even for its reduced 2022 grain harvest, the United Nations’ World Food Programme said Tuesday, with the country struggling to export existing stocks during the invasion by Russia. Jakob Kern, the World Food Programme’s emergency co-ordinator in Ukraine, cited estimates that 20 per cent of planted […] Read more



CBOT May 2022 corn (green and red candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (yellow line) and December 2022 corn (orange candlesticks). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn climbs on global supply fears

Wheat down on profit-taking; Argentina trucker strike supports soy, corn

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures hit life-of-contract highs on Thursday, supported by tightening global grain supplies and an uncertain production outlook as the Russia-Ukraine war continued to rattle markets, analysts said. However, trade was choppy and deferred corn contracts finished lower as traders took profits ahead of a three-day holiday weekend. U.S. markets […] Read more





CBOT May 2022 corn (candlesticks) with 20- and 50-day moving averages (yellow and orange lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Corn nears 10-year high

Wheat, soy up as Ukraine still in focus

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. corn futures hit their highest in nearly 10 years on Wednesday and wheat touched a three-week top on worries about tightening global grain supplies, the crisis in Ukraine and drought in the U.S. Plains, analysts said. Soybeans bounced, shaking off signs of slowing demand from top global buyer China, while […] Read more



CBOT July 2022 wheat (candlesticks) with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages (yellow, orange and dark green lines). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: CBOT wheat, soybeans firm on tighter stocks

Corn firm, ending stocks unchanged

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago wheat, corn and soybean futures firmed on Friday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) assessed global supply and demand, reflecting the impact that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had on Black Sea exports. Grain prices remained underpinned by Russia’s six-week-old invasion, which has stalled large amounts of Ukrainian exports […] Read more

CBOT May 2022 soybeans (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans, corn firm ahead of WASDE

Wheat down, but supported by winter crop stress

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures climbed on Thursday, bolstered by eroding South American production and steady U.S. export sales. CBOT wheat and corn futures eased ahead of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s monthly global supply and demand report due Friday, expected to reflect the potential impact of the war in […] Read more