Reuters — PotashCorp, the world’s biggest fertilizer company by market capitalization, reported higher-than-expected quarterly profit on strong potash sales, but its 2015 outlook disappointed. Saskatoon-based PotashCorp sold 2.5 million tonnes of potash, the most ever in a fourth quarter and up 42 per cent year over year. Its average realized potash price was $284 per […] Read more
PotashCorp’s profit beats on higher potash sales
Japan seen set to cut beef, pork tariffs in TPP talks
Tokyo | Reuters — Japan is prepared to cut its high import tariffs on beef and pork and slightly ease tight restrictions on rice imports for U.S. producers, in a rush to seal an ambitious Pacific trade deal, Japanese media said Friday. Tokyo’s reported concessions come as talks accelerate with Washington to strike a bilateral […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat rallies, rebounds from three-month low
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures rose on Thursday, halting a six-session slide and rebounding from a three-month low after the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported larger-than-expected weekly export sales. Corn and soybeans both closed lower. At the CBOT, March wheat settled up 2-1/2 cents at $5.07-3/4 per bushel, paring gains […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME live cattle futures slump, but off session lows
Chicago | Reuters –– Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures closed lower on Thursday, pressured by profit taking before the last trading day of the month on Friday, traders said. Earlier, February and April triggered sell stops and fund liquidation after falling below the 10-day moving average of 152.95 cents and 151.05 cents, respectively (all […] Read more
Minogue: Optimism reigns at FCC outlook meeting
Regina — Despite commodity prices down off recent highs, resurgent transportation problems and crop disease issues across the Prairies, farmers heard all good news at Farm Credit Canada’s Ag Outlook 2015 conference here Tuesday. “The sky’s not falling,” said J.P. Gervais, chief ag economist for Regina-based FCC. Actually, he said, things are pretty good. If […] Read more
Hershey to enter meat snacks business, cuts forecast
Reuters — Chocolate maker Hershey Co. said it would buy Krave Pure Foods Inc. to enter the fast-growing meat snacks market, after higher demand for meat and bakery snacks hurt chocolate sales in the fourth quarter. The maker of Hershey’s Kisses and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups also cut its sales and profit forecast for 2015, […] Read more
New conditions placed on P.E.I. potato exports to U.S.
Potato wart’s appearance in another Prince Edward Island potato field in August has led to a new round of rules for the province’s potato exports to the U.S. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on Monday announced new requirements effective “immediately” for such exports, citing the detection of potato wart in 23 fields in the […] Read more
New website to shed light on grain prices
Edmonton — Don’t know if your local elevator is offering a good price or not? There’s an app for that. Or at least there will be once www.pdqinfo.ca is fully up and running. The new website, created by the Alberta Wheat Commission with $742,725 in federal funding, aims to give farmers timely and accurate pricing […] Read more
Canada expands blocks on U.S. poultry, eggs
Canada’s avian flu-related ban on imports of poultry, birds and eggs from Washington and Oregon has been expanded to include the same products from California and Idaho. The ban was expanded after outbreaks of avian flu in poultry in the past week in both states, including a backyard flock of chickens in Idaho infected with […] Read more
U.S. grains: Wheat falls on fund selling
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Board of Trade wheat futures fell 2.7 per cent on Wednesday to a three-month low on technical selling, plentiful global supplies and forecasts for rains in the U.S. Plains, analysts said. Soybean futures slid as soyoil prices hit their lowest in nearly six years, and corn also declined. At the […] Read more