File photo of piglets at a hog operation in China. (KuLouKu/iStock/Getty Images)

China’s 2020 pork output higher than expected

Reported slowing of ASF-induced decline beats expectations

Reading Time: 2 minutes Beijing | Reuters — China’s pork output posted significant signals toward recovery last year after the sector was decimated by an incurable hog disease in 2019, official data showed Monday. China’s 2020 pork output fell 3.3 per cent from a year earlier, to 41.13 million tonnes, after plunging 21 per cent in 2019, the National […] Read more

A barley crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on July 30, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Feed weekly outlook: Barley market’s eye on exports, corn prices

Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Strong export demand for Canadian barley and rising corn prices in the U.S. are expected to continue to keep feed prices well supported in Western Canada. “Feed grains are being squeezed by lower imports of U.S. corn into Western Canada,” analyst Chuck Penner of Leftfield Commodity Research said in a presentation Tuesday for […] Read more


ICE March 2021 canola with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: WASDE spillover boosts canola

Canola may soon become price-sensitive, analyst says

Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Sharp increases in soybean, corn and wheat futures on Tuesday, following the release of the latest supply and demand report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in turn spilled over into canola. The most significant factors in USDA’s world agricultural supply and demand estimates (WASDE) were further reductions to ending stocks for […] Read more

File photo of a Chinese cornfield. (Baona/iStock/Getty Images)

China to approve further domestic GMO corn, soy crop varieties

Reading Time: 2 minutes Beijing | Reuters — China said on Monday it was set to approve the safety of another genetically modified (GMO) corn variety and a GMO soybean, both produced by Beijing Dabeinong Technology Group Co. Ltd. The move comes after China last year approved three domestically designed GMO crops as safe, the first in a decade, […] Read more


CBOT March 2021 soybeans with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Futures slip on South American rains

USDA report seen cutting U.S. soy, corn supply estimates

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures slipped from 6-1/2-year highs on Monday on crop-boosting rains in South America and as investors squared positions ahead of eagerly awaited U.S. government crop forecast data due on Tuesday. Corn and wheat futures also pulled back from multi-year peaks posted last week as the U.S. dollar firmed and […] Read more

CBOT March 2021 soybeans with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans to 6-1/2-year top on expectations of tightening stocks

Corn futures up, wheat retreats

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures resumed their rally on Friday after a light setback a day earlier, climbing to 6-1/2-year highs on signs of fresh export demand and expectations that key U.S. crop reports next week will indicate tightening global supplies. Corn futures also rose, hovering near multi-year highs set this week above […] Read more


Soybeans. (Alfribeiro/iStock/Getty Images)

China building world’s largest seed bank

Larger facility a bid to boost food security

Reading Time: < 1 minute Beijing | Reuters — China will complete a new national crop germplasm bank this year, the agriculture minister said Wednesday, to boost the country’s capacity to develop new crop varieties and enhance food security. The bank has a designed capacity of 1.5 million copies, almost four times the existing one, and will be the world’s […] Read more

The China Meat Association is raising concerns that food packaging contaminated with COVID-19 could lead to increased human infection.  Photo: E+/Getty Images

China meat assoc calls for exporters to disinfect shipments to prevent COVID-19

Reading Time: 2 minutes Beijing | Reuters – Chinese meat importers and processors have called on exporters in countries with COVID-19 outbreaks to step up checks on shipments before they are sent to the world’s biggest market, the country’s top industry group said. “China has been importing a large quantity of meats this year, and has detected virus on […] Read more


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U.S. grains: Soybeans end higher for direction amid Argentine supply woes

Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – U.S. soybean futures ended higher on Tuesday after trading both sides of even as the markets weighed South American rainfall against the ongoing labor strike disrupting Argentine exports, while traders took profits ahead of the U.S. holiday break. U.S. wheat futures also benefited from the cargo backups in Argentina, and corn […] Read more

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Australia to appeal at WTO over China’s barley tariffs

China in May imposed tariffs totalling 80.5 per cent

Reading Time: 2 minutes Sydney | Reuters — Australia will launch a formal appeal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) later on Wednesday seeking a review of China’s decision to impose hefty tariffs on imports of Australian barley, Minister for Trade Simon Birmingham said. Acknowledging the appeal may take years to be resolved, Birmingham told reporters Australia would also […] Read more