Reading Time: 2 minutes Baghdad | Reuters — The number of people facing acute food insecurity worldwide has more than doubled to 345 million since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, conflict and climate change, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday. Before the coronavirus crisis, 135 million suffered from acute hunger worldwide, Corinne Fleischer, the WFP’s regional […] Read more
Acute food insecurity now touching 345 million worldwide
Iraq to create strategic wheat reserve
Reading Time: < 1 minute Reuters — Iraq will allocate US$100 million to urgently purchase wheat and create a strategic reserve by importing three million tons of the grain, the commerce minister said in a statement on Monday. “The ministry has a plan to achieve food security for citizens and to address the global rise in food prices due to […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soy, corn sag on South American weather outlooks
Wheat firms
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean and corn futures fell on Monday on forecasts calling for much-needed rains in dry areas of South America, along with long liquidation ahead of several key U.S. government reports due at mid-week, analysts said. Wheat futures firmed on short-covering and the unwinding of inter-market spreads. Chicago Board of Trade […] Read more
U.S. livestock: Hogs limit down on profit-taking, Middle East tensions
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. hog futures tumbled by the daily trading limit to a three-week low on Friday as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East triggered profit-taking, analysts said. Losses hit markets after a U.S. air strike in Iraq killed Iran’s most prominent military commander, rattling traders of products from agricultural futures to […] Read more
Iraq replaces state grain agency’s chief
Reading Time: < 1 minute Baghdad/Dubai | Reuters — Iraq, a major Middle East wheat and rice importer, has replaced the head of its state grain buying agency, government sources and a document showed on Tuesday. Naeem al-Maksousi was replaced by Hassanein Mahdi Elwan, a document reviewed by Reuters showed. The reason for the replacement, which comes after a week […] Read more
G3 co-owner SALIC looking at Iraq farmland
Reading Time: 2 minutes Dubai | Reuters –– The Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC) is looking at more farmland investment opportunities and has its neighbour Iraq on the list. SALIC, an arm of the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), said it was also looking to expand its investments in the Black Sea region, which already includes almost […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat falls to contract lows on technical selling
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. wheat futures fell to contract lows on Tuesday as technical selling pressure dragged prices lower for a fifth straight session. Chart-based selling accelerated as prices slipped below the prior day’s two-month low, more than offsetting supportive news of a large export sale to Iraq and a government report showing the […] Read more
Cigi course highlights customer relations
Reliability of Canadian wheat is the theme of Cigi’s annual international program
Reading Time: 4 minutes They come from 16 different countries, but have one thing in common — Canadian wheat. Participants in the 49th annual International Grain Industry Program at the Canadian International Grains Institute, better known as Cigi, came to Canada to learn more about where the grain they buy comes from, how it is grown and how it […] Read more
Ex-Iraq grain board chief to be investigated in graft case
Reading Time: < 1 minute CORRECTED, Feb. 20, 2016 — Baghdad | Reuters — Iraq’s acting trade minister has referred former grain board chief Saad al-Hamdani and 16 unnamed individuals for investigation over suspected transportation of illegal wheat shipments, a ministry statement said Monday. The grain board is responsible for purchasing billions of dollars worth of commodities internationally and from […] Read more
Iraq recaptures some grain silos seized by Islamic State
Reading Time: 2 minutes London | Reuters — Iraq has re-taken control of some grain silos previously seized by Islamic State, but most of the grain held cannot be used as militants aim to destroy sites when retreating, a senior grain official said Tuesday. Islamic State, the breakaway al Qaeda group, which declared an Islamic caliphate across parts of […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
