Drought expands across western Prairies

Drought expands across western Prairies

MarketsFarm — Drought conditions expanded across Alberta and Saskatchewan in October, with very little precipitation across the agricultural regions of the two provinces since August. That’s according to the latest Canadian Drought Monitor from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, as of Oct. 31. At the end of that month, 72 per cent of the Prairie region […] Read more

Grain ships carrying Ukrainian grain are seen in the Black Sea, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, near Ukrainian port of Odesa, Ukraine Oct. 30, 2022. (Photo: Reuters/Serhii Smolientsev)

Black Sea grain export deal extended

Deal's terms unchanged; Moscow to still seek removal of obstacles to grain, fertilizer exports

Reuters — A deal aimed at easing global food shortages by helping Ukraine export its agricultural products from Black Sea ports was extended for four months on Thursday, though Russia said its own demands were yet to be fully addressed. The agreement, initially reached in July, created a protected transit corridor and was designed to […] Read more


CBOT December 2022 soft red winter wheat (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (green line), MGEX December 2022 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. December 2022 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat sags on Black Sea export deal extension

Chicago corn turns higher

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures dropped to a 2-1/2-month low on Thursday after the United Nations announced an agreement to extend a grain corridor for exports from war-torn Ukraine. Soybean futures fell on worries about demand as top global buyer China struggles with COVID-19 lockdowns. But corn turned higher as strong weekly U.S. […] Read more

One Canada Square (tower at centre) houses the London head office of the International Grains Council. (Iliffd/iStock/Getty Images)

IGC makes small alterations to monthly report

MarketsFarm — There was very little in the way of changes in the November supply and demand report from the International Grain Council (IGC). The most notable alteration made by the London-based global organization was its four million-tonne reduction to 2022-23 wheat ending stocks, now at 282 million tonnes. The IGC lowered exports from 70 […] Read more



ICE January 2023 canola (candlesticks) with Bollinger bands (20,2) and ICE March 2023 canola (black line). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Premium showing in front-month canola

'Surge' of farmer selling expected in January

MarketsFarm — The ICE Futures canola market held rangebound during the week ended Nov. 16, with the widening premium of the nearby January contract over the March futures seen as a sign of good nearby demand. ICE January canola settled Wednesday at $882.40 per tonne, a $10.50 per tonne premium over the March contract. That […] Read more


Cargo ship Despina V, carrying Ukrainian grain, is seen in the Black Sea off Kilyos near Istanbul, Turkey on Nov. 2, 2022.  (Photo: Reuters/Umit Bektas)

Reasons for optimism seen on renewal for Ukraine grain deal

Deal set to roll over on Saturday

Reuters — A United Nations source on Wednesday said they have reasons to be “cautiously optimistic” on the renewal of a Black Sea grains export agreement, which is set to roll over on Saturday unless there are objections. The U.N.-backed agreement on July 22 allowed grain shipments to resume from certain Ukrainian ports on the […] Read more

CBOT December 2022 soft red winter wheat (candlesticks) with 20-day moving average (black line), MGEX December 2022 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. December 2022 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat, corn up on reports of Russian missiles hitting Poland

January soybeans also close higher

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grain futures rallied on Tuesday as reports that Russian missiles crossed into Poland raised concerns about escalating political tensions, market analysts said. A senior U.S. intelligence official said Russian missiles crossed into Poland, killing two people, the Associated Press reported. The Pentagon said it could not confirm reports that Russian […] Read more


File photo of a CN locomotive in Chicago. (Photo courtesy CN)

Third U.S. union rejects national rail contract deal

Two major unions' decisions due next week

Washington | Reuters — A third U.S. rail union voted on Monday to reject a tentative national contract reached in September, but expects to continue negotiating to reach a deal. The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB), which represents about 300 U.S. rail employees, rejected the agreement, said the union and the National Carriers’ Conference Committee […] Read more

CBOT January 2023 soybeans with Bollinger bands (20,2). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans, corn end lower as crude oil sags

Chicago December wheat firms

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean and corn futures fell on Monday on spillover pressure from crude oil along with uncertainty about export demand for U.S. supplies of both crops, analysts said. But wheat futures rose on signs of global export demand while traders continued to monitor prospects for the renewal of an export corridor […] Read more