As Russia continues threatening to end the current grain deal — threats in of themselves being useful weapons for the regime — we ought to consider whether we’re ready to handle the market and political shocks if it does end.

Opinion: What happens when the grain deal fails?

Economic and political unrest abroad will affect Canadians

Russia is using food as a weapon of war, one designed to compel Ukraine and its allies to cave to Russian demands for the open export of its own grain and fertilizer, and subsequently, the import of great quantities of cash for the Russian war chest. While there is a UN-brokered deal for the continued […] Read more

NYMEX August 2023 West Texas Intermediate crude oil, with August 2023 Brent crude oil (black line). (Barchart)

Extent of Saudi oil production cut unclear

Reported tensions within OPEC limit price gains

MarketsFarm — At the OPEC+ meeting Sunday in Vienna, Saudi Arabia announced it will cut its oil production by one million barrels per day (BPD) come July. And while that move was bullish for the markets, by how much remains to be seen, said Phil Flynn of the Price Futures Group in Chicago. “It’s probably […] Read more

A Belize-flagged bulker, carrying grain under UN’s Black Sea Grain Initiative, transits the Bosphorus at Istanbul on May 12, 2023. (File photo: Reuters/Yoruk Isik)

Ukraine says Russia again blocking Black Sea grain export deal

Russia seeks ammonia transit via Pivdennyi

Kyiv | Reuters — Ukraine’s ministry of renovation and infrastructure said on Thursday the U.N.-brokered Black Sea grain export deal had been halted again because Russia had blocked registration of ships to all Ukrainian ports. A U.N. spokesman said Russia had informed officials overseeing the initiative that Moscow would limit registrations to the port of […] Read more

CBOT July 2023 soft red winter wheat with 20- and 50-day moving averages, MGEX July 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. July 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Wheat, corn, soy fall on uncertain demand, weather

Sagging equities, crude oil also bearish on grains

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat, corn and soybean futures tumbled on Tuesday, pressured by macroeconomic worries, strong competition for global grain export business and some forecasts for beneficial Midwest rains next month that could bolster production prospects, analysts said. “The wetter outlook removed the one factor providing stability for the grain and oilseed markets, […] Read more

Liberia-flagged bulker K Sukret, carrying grain under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, waits for inspection in the southern anchorage of Istanbul on May 17, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Mehmet Emin Caliskan)

Black Sea grain deal slow to get moving after extension

Ukraine says Russia has effectively frozen out one port

United Nations | Reuters — A deal allowing the safe wartime export of grain and fertilizer from Ukrainian Black Sea ports has not yet resumed full operations, the United Nations said on Friday, having come to a halt before Russia’s decision last week to extend it. The pact called the Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered […] Read more


CBOT July 2023 soft red winter wheat with Bollinger bands (20,2), MGEX July 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line) and K.C. July 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Profit-taking pressures wheat futures

CBOT corn firm, soy mixed

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures fell on Wednesday on a round of profit-taking as traders said the market lacked fundamental inputs to drive prices higher a day after a rally driven by renewed concerns over a Black Sea deal. Corn futures were firm for the second day in a row, with old-crop contracts […] Read more

Aerial view of a breakwater near Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Pivdennyi (formerly Yuzhny) near Odesa. (Viktor Ketal/iStock/Getty Images)

Russia preventing Black Sea grain deal port from operating, Ukraine says

Black Sea Grain Initiative was extended last week

Kyiv | Reuters — The Ukrainian port of Pivdennyi has halted operations because Russia is not allowing ships to enter it, in effect cutting it out of a deal allowing safe Black Sea grain exports, a Ukrainian official said on Tuesday. The Black Sea Grain Initiative signed by Russia and Ukraine last July, and extended […] Read more

File photo of a chickpea crop in India. (Nikhil Patil/iStock/Getty Images)

Firm Canadian chickpea market watching world production

Trade keeps eye on crops in Turkey, Russia, India

MarketsFarm — Canadian farmers are in the early stages of planting the country’s next chickpea crop, with market conditions firm for the time being, ahead of new-crop harvests in other countries. “The market is firm, it’s not going up or down,” said Jake Hansen of Mid-West Grain at Moose Jaw, Sask., noting there was not […] Read more



Liberia-flagged bulker K Sukret, carrying grain under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, waits for inspection in the southern anchorage of Istanbul on May 17, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Mehmet Emin Caliskan)

Black Sea grain deal extended for two months

Agreement has helped to tackle global food crisis

Ankara/United Nations | Reuters — The Ukraine Black Sea grain deal has been extended for two more months, one day before Russia could have quit the pact over obstacles to its grain and fertilizer exports. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced the extension in a televised speech and it was confirmed by Russia and Ukraine. The […] Read more