Reading Time: 2 minutes Oats prices at both the Chicago Board of Trade and in Western Canada have rallied over the past week, which could help bring some more acres to the crop this spring. However, competition from other crops and weather issues at seeding time could still sway the market. After weather issues in Saskatchewan hampered Canadian production […] Read more
Rising prices may encourage more oats acres
U.S. export agency sees GM wheat as inevitable
Reading Time: 2 minutes It’s only a matter of time before North American farmers are growing genetically engineered wheat along with their soybeans, corn and canola, according to Vince Peterson, vice-president of overseas operations with U.S. Wheat Associates. Speaking at the Canada Grains Council annual meeting Monday in Winnipeg, he estimated genetically engineered wheat would be commercially grown within […] Read more
Attention in ICE canola turns to weather
Reading Time: 2 minutes ICE Futures Canada canola contracts edged have edged higher over the past week as wet conditions that could hamper spring seeding across much of Western Canada provided some underlying support. The weather issues are expected to continue to be a major factor in the trade moving forward. The release of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s […] Read more
Soft ocean freight rates benefit grain exports
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ocean freight rates have come up off their two-year lows over the past month but are still relatively soft, which is beneficial for Canadian grain exports as the country is traditionally at a freight disadvantage to some of its competitors. The Baltic Dry Index, which tracks global shipping rates, is currently sitting at around US$1,500 […] Read more
Higher oats bids needed to bring in acres
Reading Time: < 1 minute Oat bids in Western Canada dropped in sympathy with U.S. futures over the past few weeks, but will need to keep in line with other cropping options in order to make sure enough acres go in the ground this spring. “The fundamental perspective hasn’t changed. (Oats) will need to be competitive with wheat and canola […] Read more
Corn, soy markets seen focusing soon on new-crop issues
Reading Time: 2 minutes Soybean and corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade dropped sharply over the past week, as the earthquake, tsunami and resulting nuclear crisis in Japan triggered a speculative sell-off in the agricultural commodity markets. Concerns that Japanese demand for grains and oilseeds will back away in the near term, as the country deals with […] Read more
Japanese disaster stalls Canadian canola business
Reading Time: 2 minutes Routine Canadian canola exports to Japan will likely be disrupted in the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan March 11, according to market participants. With the potential for a nuclear meltdown now dominating the headlines the export situation to the country remains uncertain, but traders generally anticipated a return of Japanese […] Read more
Yellow pea bids edging lower
Reading Time: < 1 minute Yellow pea bids in Western Canada have come off their highs over the past two weeks, as demand backs away at the stronger levels and major export customer India moves forward harvesting its own pulse crop. “Yellow pea bids from the line elevators have dropped by 75 to 80 cents (per bushel) over the past […] Read more
Japan taking slightly lower-protein Canadian wheat
Reading Time: 2 minutes Japan, a routine buyer of high-protein Canadian wheat, appears to have relaxed its protein requirements slightly in recent weeks in order to allow continued shipments of Canadian wheat. In late January, Canada missed out on Japan’s routine weekly tender due to a lack of available high protein wheat supplies, as adverse weather conditions during the […] Read more
Canola Cash Bids Drop, But Basis Should Tighten
Reading Time: < 1 minute Canola cash prices in Western Canada have fallen in sympathy with the futures market over the past week, but basis levels should tighten in once the futures market re-stabilizes, according to an analyst. “We’ve not really seen basis levels change a whole lot, yet,” said market analyst Jon Driedger, of FarmLink Marketing Solutions in Manitoba, […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
