Grain and oilseed markets had their ups and downs in 2024, with wars, labour unrest, trade disputes and politics often providing more direction than the traditional supply/demand fundamentals.
Tag Archives Middle East
Top agriculture market-moving news stories of 2024
What will a Middle East war do to your costs and prices?
Bonds and Risk: Expect fuel costs to be up, interest costs down
Farmers are caught in a developing cost squeeze. Global oil costs are threatening to balloon from about US$80 today to over US$100 per barrel, which would be a 25 per cent leap. On the other hand, interest rates in the U.S. and Canada are scheduled to decline by as much as 1.5 per cent by […] Read more
More grain ships diverted from Red Sea due to Houthi attacks
Air strikes, naval forces not enough to end attacks on ships, trader says
More ships carrying grain were diverted from the Suez Canal to sailings around the Cape of Good Hope this week as concern about attacks on vessels in the Red Sea continued, shipping analysts said on Friday.
CBOT weekly outlook: Downturn continues for grains
Early harvest reports from South America could affect prices
March grain futures at the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) were in decline during the week ended Jan. 31 despite receiving a boost on Jan. 30.
Putin ally warns agriculture supplies could be limited to ‘friends’
Reuters — One of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s allies warned on Friday that Russia, a major global wheat exporter, could limit supplies of agriculture products to “friendly” countries only, amid Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over the Ukraine crisis. Dmitry Medvedev, who served as president from 2008 to 2012 and is now deputy secretary of […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: Lentil prices decline, may shift in spring
MarketsFarm — Prices for Canadian lentils, along with other pulses in the country, have slightly declined since the start of 2022. However, one pulse buyer thinks the next few months can recharge the market. Lionel Ector, president of Diefenbaker Spice and Pulse at Elbow, Sask., explained that a good Australian lentil harvest in December has […] Read more
Louis Dreyfus to gain first outside investor
Abu Dhabi's ADQ fund to acquire indirect 45 per cent stake
Paris | Reuters — Louis Dreyfus Co. (LDC) has agreed to sell a 45 per cent stake to Abu Dhabi’s ADQ, the companies said on Wednesday, the first outside investment in the family-owned commodity merchant’s 169-year-old history. The deal comes after a search by chairwoman Margarita Louis-Dreyfus for an investor to relieve debt built up […] Read more
U.S. grains: Futures weaken as Iraq strike rattles markets
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. grain and soybean futures crumbled on Friday as traders booked profits after being spooked by a U.S. air strike in Iraq that escalated geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The strike that killed Iran’s most prominent military commander put markets on edge and opened the door for a setback a […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: India market likely pushing up prices
MarketsFarm — Faced with weather concerns surrounding its pigeon pea crop, India has been very likely buying lentils from Canada, said MarketsFarm analyst Mike Jubinville. Over the last month, prices for large green lentils have jumped 25 per cent because of issues with pigeon peas, said Jubinville. Green lentils can be substituted for the pigeon […] Read more
India, Middle East countries in talks on oil-for-food scheme
New Delhi | Reuters — India is in talks with some Gulf nations to buy oil to fill its strategic reserves and sell food in return, seeking to use its position as the world’s third-largest oil importer to both secure energy supplies and boost exports. Indian Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan told reporters the idea was […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
