A rapeseed field in southern China’s Yunnan province. (YuenWu/iStock/Getty Images)

Richardson disputes China claim of ‘hazardous pests’ in canola

Beijing/Chicago | Reuters — Canadian agribusiness Richardson International said on Wednesday that canola it shipped to China met regulatory requirements after a Chinese official charged that “hazardous pests” were found in samples taken recently from Canadian canola imports. Beijing this month cancelled Richardson’s registration to ship Canadian canola to China, the world’s top importer of […] Read more



U.S. livestock: Hog futures set two-week peak on pork price hopes

U.S. livestock: Hog futures set two-week peak on pork price hopes

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. lean hog futures jumped to two-week highs on Tuesday amid hopes for increased pork prices, which have been under pressure from large supplies and weakened demand from China. Wholesale pork prices, known as the cutout, rose by $1.01 on Monday to $62.93/cwt for carcasses, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture […] Read more

Canola Council of Canada president Jim Everson says China’s block on Canadian canola has now expanded beyond just shipments from Richardson International. (Co-operator file photo by Allan Dawson)

China’s block on canola seen as blowback from diplomatic spat

Montreal — Canola industry leaders attending the first Canadian Crops Convention here this week say they don’t know why China has abruptly blocked imports of Canadian canola from Richardson International, Canada’s biggest grain company. But according to a senior Richardson official it’s in retaliation to the diplomatic spat between China and Canada over the arrest […] Read more



Traffic between Delhi and Agra. (CIA.gov)

Trump moves to scrap trade privilege for India

Washington/New Delhi | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump looked set to open a new front in his trade wars with a plan to end preferential trade treatment for India that allows duty-free entry for up to US$5.6 billion worth of its exports to the United States. Monday’s move comes as trade tensions between the […] Read more


(Richardson Pioneer via YouTube)

China blocks some Richardson canola shipments

Beijing/Kabul | Reuters — China has canceled Canadian agribusiness Richardson International’s registration to ship canola to China, the company said on Tuesday, the latest sign of tensions between Ottawa and Beijing. It was not immediately clear why exports to China by Richardson, the world’s top importer of canola, had been halted. Canada and China are […] Read more



CBOT May 2019 soybeans with 20-, 50- and 100-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Soybeans firm on trade deal hopes

Chicago | Reuters — Chicago soybean futures climbed on Monday amid news reports that Beijing and Washington are close to settling a lingering trade dispute, a breakthrough that could boost China’s demand for U.S. soy and other agricultural products. Corn also rose, pulling away from a three-month low struck in the previous session. Wheat prices […] Read more

CBOT May 2019 wheat with Bollinger (20,2) bands. (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat posts steepest weekly decline in half a year

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat prices fell on Friday and posted their steepest weekly decline since late August as technical selling and competitive global supplies pressured prices. Soybean and corn prices rose, rebounding from earlier losses, but gains were capped on concerns surrounding strong export competition. The most-active wheat contract on the Chicago Board […] Read more