Seoul | Reuters –– South Korea will disinfect farms around the country over the new year and limit the transport of animals, stepping up its effort to contain an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease that has spread close to the capital as well as bird flu. The foot-and-mouth among hogs had been limited to the centre […] Read more
S. Korea to disinfect farms as FMD, bird flu spread
India reportedly considering import tax on pulses
New Delhi | Reuters — India, the world’s biggest importer of pulses, is considering a 10 per cent tax on overseas purchases of pulses to support local farmers, a government official said Tuesday. The government is also considering to lift a ban on exports of pulses and edible oils, the official, who declined to be […] Read more
CFIA caught up on Fraser Valley bird depopulations
Birds at the 11 commercial poultry farms and one other property hit so far this month by H5N2 avian influenza in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley have been euthanized. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency reported it had completed “depopulation” of the 85 birds including ducks, chickens, geese and turkeys at a “non-commercial” farm in the Aldergrove […] Read more
Prairie CWRS bids ease along with U.S. futures
CNS Canada — Average cash bids for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat were softer during the week, following declines seen in U.S. wheat futures. CWRS prices ranged from $4 to $7 per tonne lower in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The best pricing opportunities were still available in Manitoba, where prices were down almost $8 at […] Read more
Klassen: Feeder cattle market ends on mixed tone
Western Canadian feeder cattle markets have ended the year on a mixed tone with most auction barns closed for the holiday season. Alberta packers were buying limited volumes of fed steers at $178 per hundredweight (cwt), down from highs of $183 earlier in December. The uncertainty over feedlot margins for the first and second quarters […] Read more
Iraq buys 200,000 tonnes hard wheat from Canada, U.S., Australia
Hamburg | Reuters — Iraq’s state grains board has purchased 200,000 tonnes of hard wheat to be sourced from Canada, the U.S. and Australia in an international tender for at least 50,000 tonnes, European traders said on Monday. The purchase comprised 100,000 tonnes of Canadian wheat, 50,000 tonnes of U.S. wheat and 50,000 tonnes of […] Read more
U.S. livestock: CME live cattle climb on beef prices, cash optimism
Chicago | Reuters — Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle posted significant gains on Monday, led by strong wholesale beef prices and anticipation of steady or better cash prices this week, traders said. December closed 1.75 cents per pound higher at 166.5 cents, and February up 2.525 cents at 165 cents (all figures US$). Monday morning’s […] Read more
U.S. grains: Corn drops from peak, soybeans turn lower
Chicago | Reuters –– U.S. corn futures declined on Monday on technical selling and profit-taking after stronger-than-expected weekly export sales earlier lifted the market to its highest in nearly six months. Soybeans also turned lower after earlier hitting a 6-1/2 week high, pressured by technical selling and easing soymeal prices. Wheat futures closed higher for […] Read more
Nearly-shuttered Maple Leaf plants still running for now
Two Maple Leaf Foods processing plants tapped in 2011 to close by the end of this year will stay open for a few months yet. Of six further-processing facilities slated for closure by the end of 2014 in the final phase of Maple Leaf’s “value creation plan,” the company’s Courtland Avenue deli and luncheon meat […] Read more
Nutreco shares slip after Cargill ends bid fight
Amsterdam | Reuters — Shares in Nutreco fell last Tuesday after U.S. commodities company Cargill said it was pulling out of a bid battle for the Dutch animal feed maker. Cargill’s withdrawal leaves the field clear for Dutch investment firm SHV, which has made an offer valuing the company at around 3.1 billion euros (C$4.4 […] Read more