Chicago wheat futures eased on Tuesday as geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine faded into the background and brisk exports of Black Sea wheat continued to pose tough competition to U.S. wheat exports, traders said.
Chicago wheat futures dipped from three-month highs on Monday on profit taking following the previous week's rally sparked by crop concerns in Europe and escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine, traders said.
Hot and dry weather saw crop conditions decline across much of Western Canada over the past month, with the latest model-based production estimates from Statistics Canada showing downward revisions in both canola and wheat production from the August report.
Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures reached a 12-week high on Friday as escalating tensions in Russia's war with Ukraine increased uncertainty about Black Sea exports.
Combining of major crops in Alberta progressed 23 points during the week ended Sept. 10, reaching 54 per cent, according to the province's latest weekly crop report. While dry weather helped to advance the harvest, crop yields were not meeting expectations.
Cash prices for Canada Prairie Red Spring Wheat and Canadian Western Amber Durum were up for the week ended Sept. 12, while those for Canadian Western Red Spring Wheat were mostly higher.
Chicago Board of Trade corn futures ended higher on Thursday, rebounding from a drop to near two-week lows after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) raised its estimate of the U.S. corn crop, traders said.
Saskatchewan’s harvest was more than halfway finished at 61 per cent complete, although not as much as the 68 per cent complete from one year ago. The figure was higher than the 42 per cent reported last week, the five-year average of 50 per cent and the 10-year average of 46 per cent. The southwest region was the nearest to completion at 85 per cent while the northeast region’s harvest was only at 34 per cent.
With Alberta farmers presently reluctant to sell their barley and wheat for feed, cash prices have been on the upswing, according to Darcy Haley, vice-president Ag Value Brokers in Lethbridge.