Sunflower acres in Manitoba will likely hold steady on the year, but an increase back toward more traditional averages is seen as unlikely, given rotational issues and competition from other crops. Manitoba farmers planted 100,000 acres of sunflowers in 2012, which came in well above the 35,000 planted in 2011 when weather issues in the
Rotational issues may limit Man. sunflower acres
CWRS wheat bids soften slightly, watching U.S. futures
Cash wheat bids across Western Canada saw some choppiness during the two weeks ended March 4, with spot bids for Canada Western red spring (CWRS) wheat steady to a couple of dollars per tonne lower in most areas, but up a few dollars in others. Basis levels did generally improve, as cash prices in Western
MGEX spring wheat futures seen heading higher
Spring wheat futures at the Minneapolis Grain Exchange (MGEX) posted steady declines over the past month, but have found some support as farmer selling backs away and basis levels improve, said a spring wheat broker who expected prices to rise in the short term. Demand for hard spring wheat has been routine, despite the drop
Soybeans head west
With soybean acres continuing to soar in Manitoba, it appears soybeans are catching on in Saskatchewan too. Actual acreage data is scarce given the crop’s recent expansion into Saskatchewan, but Dale Risula, a crops specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, estimated that about 70,000 acres were sown in 2012. “The interest in soybeans seems very strong,” said
Rising hemp acres not keeping up with demand for hemp products
Rising demand and good returns will see more acres devoted to industrial hemp production in Western Canada this spring, industry sources say. Canadian hemp plantings have risen steadily over the past few years, with about 55,000 acres licensed in 2012, according to government data. Due to industrial hemp’s association with its cousin marijuana, farmers need
ICE canola stuck in tug of war
ICE Futures Canada canola contracts moved lower during the week ended Feb. 27, retreating from nearby highs as losses in Chicago soybeans spilled over to weigh on values. However, canola did run into nearby support and remains range-bound overall, according to an analyst. Canola has been stuck in a broad range over the past month,
Grainworld: Feed barley pricing window expected at harvest
Canada’s barley growers should be able to see a small window of pricing opportunity at harvest when new-crop production is available and the U.S. corn crop is still in the field. Charlie Pearson, a crops market analyst with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development in Edmonton, noted that harvest window when speaking here Monday at the
Grainworld: Malt barley faces competition from GM crops
It’s expected more and more malt barley in Western Canada will be grown solely on a contracted basis going forward, as increasing competition from easier to grow genetically modified crops will cause producers to turn away from malt barley. That’s according to Patrick Rowan, senior manager of Canadian barley operations with BARI-Canada Inc., in a
Grainworld: Best wheat futures markets for Canada debated
After decades of marketing wheat through the Canadian Wheat Board’s single desk, the western Canadian grain sector is still working out the best way to hedge the commodity, seven months into the new open market. Representatives of the CME Group, Minneapolis Grain Exchange (MGEX) and ICE Futures Canada were all on hand here Monday at
Grainworld: Wheat more than just wheat
High protein levels might not necessarily mean high prices for wheat growers in Western Canada, as many markets don’t pay a premium for protein, speakers said here Monday at the annual Wild Oats Grainworld conference, highlighting the shifting market realities now that the Canadian Wheat Board no longer retains its single desk for selling the