Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm – Even though harvest in Canada is months away, major issues with shipping by container out of the country needs to be resolved, according to Greg Northey, vice-president of corporate affairs for Pulse Canada and the spokesperson for the Coalition to Fix the Container Crunch. “The worry in the fall is if we have […] Read more
Shipping container issues make Canada uncompetitive
Biden signs ocean shipping bill in bid to reduce backlogs
Reading Time: 2 minutes Washington | Reuters — U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday signed legislation to improve oversight of ocean shipping, which lawmakers say will help curb inflation and ease export backlogs. The bipartisan bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives on a 369-42 vote earlier this week. Biden said he had “promised to crack down on ocean […] Read more
Canada shuts ports to Russian ships over Ukraine invasion
Russian firms' Canadian holdings also under scrutiny, Freeland warns
Reading Time: 2 minutes Toronto | Reuters — Canada ratcheted up pressure on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine by shutting ports to Russian-owned ships and saying on Tuesday that holdings of all Russian oligarchs and companies in the country are under review. Canada has announced a slew of measures to isolate Russia, including imposing sanctions on Russian President […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Slow demand pulls down pea prices
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Slow demand has been behind the declines in green and yellow peas, according to Marcos Mosnaim of Mercais Commodities in Toronto. Over the last week, prices for western Canadian green peas have lost 30 cents per bushel at $14.50-$16.20 per bushel delivered, according to Prairie Ag Hotwire. Those for yellow peas have dropped […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Lentils steady during holidays
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — There isn’t much movement in lentil prices as the market is in holiday mode, according to Dale McManus of Johnston Grains at Welwyn, Sask. “We’re doing two or three loads every second or third day, but not over-pushing it,” he said. Prices for lentils have been very steady this week. Lairds in Western […] Read more
Grain movement to Vancouver picking up
Railways seen recovering from B.C. damages faster than many had expected
Reading Time: 4 minutes Western grain movement to the Port of Vancouver was at 60 per cent of normal as of Dec. 15 and is expected to continually improve, Mark Hemmes, Canada’s grain monitor and president of Quorum Corp. said in an interview Wednesday. “I think by next week it’s going to look a lot better,” he said. “Is […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: New investments cause for optimism
Sector looking forward beyond challenges of 2021
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Canada’s pulse industry had to endure more than its fair share of challenges and obstacles in 2021, domestic and abroad. Nevertheless, the national organization representing pulse growers, traders and processors feels the industry will be strong in the New Year. An already tight supply situation became tighter in 2021 as drought in Western […] Read more
CN again reopens Kamloops-Vancouver corridor
'Quite a bit' of traffic shifted to Prince Rupert
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — After recent heavy rains forced Canadian National Railway to close its Kamloops-to-Vancouver corridor for a second time, the railway reopened its critical line to Canada’s busiest port on Sunday. CN spokesperson Jonathan Abecassis said the corridor was initially closed a second time during the most recent spell of heavy rains in southwestern British […] Read more
‘Containergeddon’ drives sugar, rice shippers back to bulk vessels
Reading Time: 2 minutes New York | Reuters — Food traders are switching from containers back to dry bulk vessels to transport refined sugar and rice, hoping to avoid shipping delays caused by container shortages and port congestion the industry is calling “containergeddon,” according to traders. Container-based transportation has been hit by sky-high costs and delays amid booming shipping […] Read more
‘Containergeddon’: Supply crisis drives Walmart, rivals to hire own ships
Bulk grain ships pressed into container service
Reading Time: 4 minutes Los Angeles | Reuters — The Flying Buttress once glided across the oceans carrying vital commodities such as grain to all corners of the world. Now it bears a different treasure: Paw Patrol Movie Towers, Batmobile Transformers and Baby Alive Lulu Achoo dolls. The dry bulk cargo ship has been drafted into the service of […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
