Photo: Reuters/Ben Nelms/File

Global crop yields have not kept up with increasing demand 

Sluggish production blamed on adverse weather conditions and high input costs that lead to reduced fertilizer use

The global stocks-to-use ratio for the major crops, excluding China, has been trending down since 2018, Jason Newton, Nutrien’s chief economist, told delegates attending the 24th International Farm Management Association Congress in Saskatoon.




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CBOT weekly outlook: Bearish picture for commodities

Prices may not go much lower given the commodities have hit contract lows, says analyst

Ahead of the United States Department of Agriculture Outlook Forum, analyst Bryan Strommen of Progressive Ag in Fargo, N.D. painted a rather bearish picture for the commodity markets. However, he noted that prices might not go much lower given the commodities have hit contract lows.



Scenes from a year-long protest in India (here, near, Delhi in December 2020) during which farmers decried new laws liberalizing agriculture markets. (Photo: Reuters/Anushree Fadnavis)

Indian police block roads to halt farmers marching to New Delhi

Farmers accuse Modi gov. of slow rollout of promised higher prices

Indian police on Monday blocked roads to halt farmers who were marching to New Delhi to press for the better crop prices promised to them in 2021 when thousands of growers camped out on major highways leading to the country's capital.

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Pulse weekly outlook: AAFC forecasts larger dry pea, lentil crops  

Dry pea prices have seen gains over the week; lentils steady to higher

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada forecasted increases in the production of dry peas and lentils for the 2024/25 crop year compared to those in 2023/24. AAFC issued its first supply and demand report for the calendar year on Jan. 22, which included the department’s preliminary estimates for the coming crop year. The data was not based on farmer surveys or satellite models. 



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How El Niño threatens emerging market economies

Significant changes to rainfall, or prolonged droughts, could also impact hydropower output, boost food, fuel prices

London | Reuters – Countries around the world are battling heatwaves and floods fueled by El Niño, a naturally occurring climate phenomenon that has a 90 per cent probability of persisting in the second half of 2023, according to the World Meteorological Organization. The worldwide impact can be enormous, but the stakes are higher for […] Read more