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From Black Sea to US Midwest, extreme weather threatens crop output

Hot, dry weather forecast for Russia, Ukraine in coming months; relief seen for China's corn, soybean crops hit by heatwave

Reading Time: 3 minutes Forecast dryness in the Black Sea region's breadbasket is likely to stunt sunflower and corn yields, while heavy rain in the United States after near-record temperatures threaten to take a toll on crops, hitting world supplies and pushing prices higher.



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USDA cuts Russian wheat crop estimate after damaging frosts

Reading Time: < 1 minute Chicago | Reuters – The U.S. Department of Agriculture cut its forecasts for Russian wheat production and exports on Wednesday, after Moscow declared federal emergencies over crop losses due to unfavourable weather. Increasing concerns about damage from drought and frosts in Russia, the world’s biggest wheat supplier, drove Chicago board of Trade wheat futures to 10-month highs in May […] Read more







CF Industries is one of the world’s biggest nitrogen fertilizer producers and competes against Russian imports.  Photo: Thinkstock

U.S. fertilizer imports helping fund Russian war effort, CF Industries says

Reading Time: 2 minutes Reuters – U.S. agriculture companies have been brisk importers of Russian fertilizer since the 2022 Ukraine invasion, a practice that is unwittingly helping fund Russia’s war against Ukraine, U.S. producer CF Industries CF.N said on Thursday. The U.S. does not impose sanctions directly on Russian fertilizer, which is important to global food supplies and prices. […] Read more