Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grain and soybean futures fell on Wednesday as part of a broad sell-off in markets fueled by concerns about the economic impact of a global surge in COVID-19 cases, traders said. Losses in agricultural futures pulled corn prices back from a 14-month high reached on Tuesday and soybean prices down […] Read more
U.S. grains: Crop prices slide as pandemic concerns rattle markets
Traders await U.S. export sales data Thursday
U.S. grains: Crop expectations spark sell-off in corn, soy futures
Bleak export prospects sink CBOT wheat
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. corn and soybean futures posted sharp declines on Tuesday, with the market focused on expectations for bumper yields across the U.S. Midwest this fall due to forecasts for rain in key growing areas, traders said. On a continuous basis, corn futures dropped to their lowest level since June 29 while […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola stronger after Canada Day
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Canola contracts have made small gains this week after pausing on Wednesday for Canada Day. As the July canola contract has expired, attention turns to new-crop contracts. Areas of the Prairies have received significant rain lately, with flood warnings and high water advisories across southwestern and western Manitoba after several consecutive storms. It’s […] Read more
Burnett on Markets: Weather woes span the Prairies
Reading Time: 2 minutes The weather during the last half of March provided some optimism about a normal start to spring. Farmers across the Prairies were preparing equipment, taking delivery of seed and fertilizer and looking forward to getting out into the field. Then the weather in early April dropped significant amounts of rain and snow across northern and […] Read more
Zimbabwe says grain stocks running out after drought
Reading Time: 2 minutes Harare | Reuters — Zimbabwe has only 100,000 tonnes of grain in its strategic reserves, enough to last just over a month, as the southern African nation suffers the effects of a severe drought, according to the agriculture minister. More than half the country’s population faces food shortages after maize harvests halved last year. The […] Read more
Variable Prairie weather makes for uncertain spring ahead
If nothing else, a rainy harvest season helped replenish topsoil moisture
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Late-season rains wreaked havoc on the 2019 harvest season but were helpful in restoring topsoil moisture to key growing regions in the Prairies. Since snow coverage has been variable across the Prairies so far in 2020, however, the growing season may get off to a rocky start. “If we take a look at […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soy futures ease on rains in South American forecasts
Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters — U.S. soybean futures edged lower on Thursday, retreating from a five-week high touched earlier this week as traders expected rains to benefit rival suppliers in South America. Favourable crop weather could boost production in Argentina and Brazil, increasing global supplies and competition for export sales to buyers like China. Rains will ease dry […] Read more
Millions of acres of canola freeze, compound ‘harvest from hell’
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg | Reuters — Heavy snow and rain during harvest on the Canadian Prairies have left several million acres of canola buried until spring, the latest blow in a miserable year that may compound farmer problems into 2020. Canola is renowned as Canada’s most profitable crop, exported to China, Japan and Mexico to make vegetable […] Read more
Manitoba’s sunflower crop under threat from weather
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Manitoba’s sunflower crop has been compromised by the snow that fell over Thanksgiving weekend, but it’s not yet clear what percentage of the crop will be impacted. Before the snow fell, windy and rainy weather took a toll on the sunflower crop. The soil was oversaturated to the point that sunflower roots couldn’t […] Read more
Wet fall raises risk of Manitoba spring flood
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Manitoba’s Red River Valley is very wet heading into the winter freeze, but it’s still too early to say if the saturated soils will lead to flooding in the spring, according to provincial forecasters. The Manitoba government on Wednesday took the unprecedented step of opening the Red River Floodway, marking the first time […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
