File photo of barley being loaded off the combine. (Collab Media/iStock/Getty Images)

Australia expects ‘favourable decision’ from China on barley

Heavy tariffs in place since 2020

Sydney | Reuters — Australia is expecting a positive decision over the next two weeks from China to fully settle a dispute over barley tariffs, Trade Minister Don Farrell said Thursday. “We are expecting in the next couple of weeks a favourable decision on the tariffs that has prevented Australian barley going into China,” Farrell […] Read more

ICE July 2023 canola with 20-day moving average and November 2023 canola (dark green line). (Barchart)

ICE weekly outlook: Canola finds support from funds, weather

Crude oil markets also a factor

MarketsFarm — After being in a steady decline over the past month, the ICE Futures canola market was on the rise for the week ended Wednesday. The July canola contract closed Wednesday at $670.30 per tonne, an increase of $20.70 from the week before. Meanwhile, the November canola contract rose $22.60 per tonne over the […] Read more

Photo: File

Repeat of record Australian wheat, canola crops unlikely

ABARES expects 2023-24 crop down on year

MarketsFarm — After growing record-large wheat and canola crops in 2022-23, Australia is expected to see a significant drop in production in 2023-24 as developing El Nino weather patterns will likely cut rainfall through the growing season, according to the latest crop report from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES). […] Read more

File photo of a field pea crop in western New South Wales, Australia. (Alfio Manciagli/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Dryness to cut into Australian production

MarketsFarm — Dry conditions and low soil moisture reserves in key Australian growing regions, along with expectations for developing El Nino weather patterns, are expected to cut into the country’s pulse production in 2023-24, despite steady to higher seeding intentions for several crops, according to the latest crop report from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural […] Read more


J.P. Morgan’s estimate puts the market cap of a combined Bunge and Viterra at around US$25 billion.

Bunge, Viterra merger would create global ag trading giant

Companies have some overlap in Canadian crushing

Reuters — A merger of U.S. grains merchant Bunge Ltd. with rival Viterra would grow the combined entity’s businesses in the U.S., Brazil and Australia and may raise competition concerns in parts of Canada and Argentina, where key oilseed processing assets overlap, analysts said. Sources last week said Bunge and Viterra were in talks for […] Read more

A barley crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on July 30, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Australia reaches deal with China in barley dispute

Trade shift may be 'bad news' for Canada and other exporters

Sydney/Beijing | Reuters — Australia has reached an agreement with China to resolve their dispute over barley imports, the two countries said on Tuesday, a latest sign of improving ties between the major commodity trade partners. Relations between the two had been strained for years, and worsened after Australia called for an inquiry into the […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Barley prices still historically high, but face headwinds

Bulk corn delivery remains more convenient

MarketsFarm — Feed barley bids in Western Canada remain historically strong, despite easing off their highs over the past month and trending lower. With bids of around $410 per tonne into the Lethbridge feedlot alley, feed barley “is still a sell,” according to Mike Jubinville of MarketsFarm, speaking on a webinar. However, he noted there […] Read more


Chickpeas. (Grigorenko/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

Pulse weekly outlook: Steady world trade expected in 2023

IGC sees firmer demand for dry peas in particular

MarketsFarm — World trade in chickpeas and lentils is expected to remain relatively steady in 2023, with solid demand from South Asia underpinning markets, according to the latest outlook from the International Grains Council. The IGC sees the world trade in chickpeas in 2023 at about 1.9 million tonnes, which would be unchanged from 2022, […] Read more

The USDA building in Washington, D.C. (Art Wager/iStock/Getty Images)

USDA sees increased EU canola imports, no extra from Canada

U.S. also projects higher Canadian ending stocks

MarketsFarm — The European Union will likely import more canola (rapeseed) this year than earlier thought, but any increased movement should come from Australia or Ukraine rather than Canada, according to updated projections from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA raised its forecast for European rapeseed imports during the 2022-23 marketing year by 550,000 tonnes, […] Read more