Photo: Thinkstock

Slow U.S. corn shipments could pressure supply forecasts

Reuters – The United States has already secured a record corn export campaign for the nearly concluded season, but the shipments are unlikely to match the government’s current forecast because the pace has recently been too slow. Disappointing export inspections last week – a marketing year low – might be an indication that the U.S. […] Read more

Israel shakes up agriculture sector to cut produce costs

Reuters – Israel’s government has unveiled a plan to lower fresh produce costs by cutting customs duties and opening the sector to competition, potentially ending years of prices far above Western averages. The plan, which includes an aid package of direct and other support to Israeli farmers, is expected to save consumers 2.7 billion shekels […] Read more


The Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) logo is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., May 3, 2018.
 Photo: REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

ADM quarterly profit surges amid strong U.S. corn exports to China

Reuters – U.S. grain merchant Archer-Daniels-Midland Co on Tuesday reported quarterly profit leapt 52 percent due to strong exports and oilseed crushing margins. The bigger-than-expected earnings sent shares to a two-week high and extended a recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, which last year hurt demand for the company’s ethanol and food products. Shares were up […] Read more

Shipping containers at a seaport in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Market access a priority in Indonesia negotiations

First round of negotiations expected later this year

Canada’s consultations on a potential free trade deal with Indonesia demonstrate a strong appetite for negotiations to continue.  The two nations are expected to launch formal talks this year.  Why it matters: Canadian agricultural exporters hope a trade pact with Indonesia will stabilize and strengthen their market access to the Asia-Pacific region. Already 78 per […] Read more


What gives Canada the moral high ground in negotiations with Indonesia and other Asia-Pacific nations?

Opinion: Focus on social issues slows trade deals

Canadian producers who eagerly await a trade pact with major Asian markets will have to exercise patience and should be prepared for some nauseating moral posturing by politicians. Bilateral talks with Indonesia are expected to formally open this year, setting the stage for broader negotiations involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a block […] Read more

Incoming WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala takes part in an online meeting before speaking during an interview with Reuters in Potomac, Maryland on Feb. 15, 2021. (Photo: Reuters/Joshua Roberts)

Nigeria’s Okonjo-Iweala makes history as new head of WTO

Geneva-based body leaderless for six months; Trump paralyzed some of WTO's functions

Geneva/Washington | Reuters — Three months after the Trump administration rejected her, former Nigerian finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala received unanimous backing on Monday to become the first woman and first African director-general of the World Trade Organization. A self-declared “doer” with a track record of taking on seemingly intractable problems, Okonjo-Iweala will have her work […] Read more

Indonesia has a growing middle class that provides a potential market for Canadian products.

Canada, Indonesia explore trade deal

Broader Southeast Asian pact could have potential

Glacier FarmMedia – Canada is exploring a potential trade pact with Indonesia as it continues to seek out deals in the Asia-Pacific region. International Trade Minister Mary Ng made the announcement Jan. 11. Why it matters: Asian-Pacific nations make up one of the largest potential growth markets for Canadian agricultural commodities, especially given the increased […] Read more


Phosphate price hit bottom in 2020 and could rise in 2021.  Photo: iStock/Getty Images

Fertilizer price rebound delayed by COVID effects

There’s more upside in phosphate prices than in nitrogen, say fertilizer companies

Glacier FarmMedia – One of the largest manufacturers and retailers of nitrogen fertilizer products says an anticipated price rebound has been delayed. “We believe there was little growth in global demand this year due to the macroeconomic impacts of COVID-19,” Nutrien president Chuck Magro told investment analysts during a recent conference call announcing the company’s […] Read more

China had been a major buyer of Canadian soybeans, but shipments to the Asian country fell off dramatically in 2018 after Canada detained Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the American government.  Photo: Reuters/Bryan Woolston

Canada has new top soybean buyer

Iran purchased 383,000 tonnes of soybeans from January to the end of September, worth $181 million

Glacier FarmMedia – In 10 seconds or less, name the Number One buyer of Canadian soybeans in 2020. Japan? The United States? China? The answer is Iran. Why it matters: Canada has struggled to replace soybean demand from China since it disappeared in 2019. From January to the end of September, Iran bought 383,000 tonnes […] Read more