File photo of a lentil crop before harvest in Saskatchewan. (Bobloblaw/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: AAFC trims production numbers

Lentil, chickpea prices up after report

MarketsFarm — Among the many revisions Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada made to its August supply and demand report on Friday were reductions in pulse output for 2023-24. Most of Canada’s pulses are grown on the Prairies, and in particular southern Alberta and western Saskatchewan, which happen to be the driest parts of the region, leading […] Read more

(Dave Bedard/File photo)

AAFC cuts production numbers on drought

Wheat production figures reduced, corn up

MarketsFarm — Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada published its August outlook for principal field crops on Friday, with some notable changes. Production for several cereal, oilseed and pulse crop were reduced, leading to revisions in exports, domestic usage and ending stocks. The report pointed to drought in southern Alberta and western Saskatchewan for the downward move. […] Read more


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Little change seen in USDA’s WASDE report

U.S. corn, soy, wheat production figures down from July report

MarketsFarm — August figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) world agricultural supply/demand estimates (WASDE) provided very few surprises and not much change after their release Friday. However, crop production and carryout estimates were tightened from those in July. USDA’s 2023-24 corn production estimate declined by 209 million bushels from July to 15.111 billion, […] Read more

(Qingwa/iStock/Getty Images)

CBOT weekly outlook: Few changes expected in coming U.S. reports

Trade's expectations already factored into prices

MarketsFarm — Soybeans may see significant changes in new-crop carryout numbers when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) releases several key reports Friday, but corn and wheat estimates will likely stay put for the most part, according to one analyst. USDA releases both its crop production report and its monthly world agricultural supply/demand estimates (WASDE) […] Read more


  Photo: Greg Berg

AAFC lowers Canadian wheat ending stocks estimates

Drop in estimated oats carryout another notable adjustment

 MarketsFarm – Canadian wheat ending stocks for both the current marketing year and 2023/24 (Aug/Jul) were revised lower by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s market analysis division in its updated supply/demand estimates, released July 21, with tighter oats and pulse stocks also expected.  Wheat ending stocks for 2022/23 were lowered to 3.540 million tonnes by AAFC, […] Read more

Wheat in progress west of Pathlow, Sask. on Aug. 1, 2022. (Dave Bedard photo)

At Ag in Motion: World may face wheat shortage this year

An analyst says millers should be getting antsy

Wheat is finally becoming a “sexy” crop after years of being the ugly duckling, an analyst says. Stephen Nicholson, global grains and oilseeds strategist for Rabobank, said a series of supply-side threats is making things exciting. Canada’s crops are withering in the fields. MarketsFarm is forecasting 30.4 million tonnes of all-wheat production, well below the […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Flax production to drop with fewer acres, dry conditions

'Prices are definitely going to be climbing'

MarketsFarm — As with other crops on the Canadian Prairies, flax has been struggling with the hot and dry conditions across the region. That said, Scott Shiels of Grain Millers Canada at Yorkton, Sask. noted there’s very little doubt when it comes to flax prices increasing during the course of 2023. Presently, old-crop flax was […] Read more

(Christophe Paul photo courtesy USDA)

CBOT weekly outlook: Markets react bearishly to WASDE report

Traders were expecting reduced U.S. corn yield

MarketsFarm — The Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) saw futures come down after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its monthly world agricultural supply and demand estimates (WASDE) on Wednesday. Corn prices were 18 cents per bushel lower on the day, while soybeans lost 27-33 cents (all figures US$). Chicago soft wheat shed 24-28 […] Read more


Detail from the front of the CBOT building in Chicago. (Vito Palmisano/iStock/Getty Images)

CBOT weekly outlook: Acreage at forefront in soy, corn markets

USDA estimates were bullish for soy, bearish for corn

MarketsFarm — Surprising acreage estimates released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture last Friday could remain a major feature in soybean and corn markets for the foreseeable future, as traders contemplate a much smaller-than-expected soybean acreage base and larger-than-expected corn area. “You can’t close your eyes on these acreage numbers,” said Scott Capinegro of Barrington […] Read more

(Dave Bedard/File photo)

AAFC’s June supply/demand estimates mostly unchanged

Corn exports adjusted upward

MarketsFarm — Monthly supply/demand projections from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada were left mostly unchanged in June, as the department awaits updated acreage estimates from Statistics Canada at the end of the month. Only corn saw any adjustments in the numbers from May, with a 200,000-tonne increase in 2022-23 exports, now at 2.05 million tonnes, resulting […] Read more