A vessel is seen arriving at Odesa in southern Ukraine under the Black Sea Grain Initiative on April 12, 2023. (Photo: Yulii Zozulia/Nurphoto via Reuters Connect)

Ukraine introduces minimum export prices for major agricultural goods

Kyiv | Reuters – Ukraine has introduced a new system for exporting key agrarian goods, including grains, which implies a ban on shipping consignments of goods at prices below those set by the agriculture ministry. Ukraine is a major grain and oilseeds grower and exporter and the new system became operational on Dec. 1. The government […] Read more

Trucks wait for crossing into Poland at the Rava-Ruska border checkpoint in Ukraine’s Lviv region on April 17, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Roman Baluk)

EU sets Ukraine grain import restrictions in five countries until June 5

Supports pledged for farmers in those countries

Brussels | Reuters — The European Commission said on Tuesday it set restrictions until June 5 on imports of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed to ease the excess supply of these grains in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The EU executive arm said that during that period, Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and […] Read more

Trucks wait for crossing into Poland at the Rava-Ruska border checkpoint in Ukraine’s Lviv region on April 17, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Roman Baluk)

Bans on Ukrainian grain imports mount as Kyiv seeks transit deal

Poland, Hungary ban imports; Slovakia follows

Kyiv/Rava-Ruska, Ukraine | Reuters — Slovakia on Monday joined Poland and Hungary in banning grain imports from Ukraine as even Kyiv’s staunchest allies come under domestic pressure to shield their agriculture markets. The heat is mounting on Brussels to work out a European Union wide solution after Warsaw and Budapest announced bans on some imports […] Read more




Editorial: Will high prices cure high prices again?

It’s always good to be able to write a “prices are awesome” column. Despite a recent pullback, corn and soybean prices are well into profitability territory and have touched near the highs of 2012, when the Chicago Board of Trade corn price briefly went over $8, before falling to half that a year later. While […] Read more

CME December 2020 live cattle with 20- and 50-day moving averages. (Barchart)

U.S. livestock: Futures slip on seasonal pressure

Slaughter backlogs remain a drag on live cattle

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. live cattle futures fell on Monday, pressured by a softening in seasonal demand and the continued impact from backlogs at slaughterhouses, traders said. Lean hogs also eased on profit taking, while feeder cattle also followed live cattle for a loss. CME October live cattle futures fell 1.525 cents, to 108.35 […] Read more

There are signs that the soybean price could continue to stay strong through harvest, with Chinese demand.

Recent rallies create opportunities for pricing corn and soy

There will be more pressure on corn price heading into harvest

Statistics Canada released its second yield estimates for the 2020 crop using a model-based procedure. Winter wheat yields were lower than the previous estimate but higher than last year. Corn and soybean yields were both up from the previous estimates and above last year. Private trade and industry trade estimates are above those of Statistics […] Read more


File photo of wheat being loaded onto a bulk vessel at port in Russia. (YGrek/iStock/Getty Images)

Grain price slump attracts bargain-hunting by importers

Hamburg | Reuters — The collapse in grain prices caused by concern about the global impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus has generated some bargain-buying by importing countries, traders said on Tuesday. But they said the extent was still limited and there were no signs importers were making especially large purchases to expand stocks. “We are […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Grains pressured by lower demand

MarketsFarm — Bids for feed grains have backed off previous highs as feedlots in Western Canada are covered into the New Year. “Now they’re bidding January and forward,” said Allen Pirness of Market Place Commodities in Lethbridge. Bids for feed barley and feed wheat delivered from January to March were around $220 per tonne, according […] Read more