Glacier FarmMedia – Although prices for barley and wheat have swung higher during the week ended July 18, prices for feed grains fell back.
“It’s very odd we are not seeing the reflection in the [feed] market,” stated Susanne Leclerc of Market Master Ltd. in Edmonton.
“Canola is having some positive days, and we are seeing that reflected into the canola market. But feed grains have yet to see that priced into the market,” she lamented.
One of the main reasons for stronger prices Leclerc pointed out is the Prairie weather, with a hike in daily temperatures. Highs were forecast to surpass 30 degrees Celsius across much of the region with scatter thunderstorms at best for precipitation.
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She explained that grain buyers placed their focus on cheaper corn in the United States and the prospects there for a very good harvest, while suggesting there might soon be change in feed prices.
“It will be interesting to see come another week or two any of those markets ‘appreciate’ the weather,” Leclerc commented.
Leclerc said Market Master is paying five dollars per bushel for old crop feed barley picked up in the yard in the Edmonton area, with new crop prices 10 to 15 cents/bu. higher. In the Red Deer, area she said barley was C$5.20/bu. for old crop and C$5.30 for new crop.
As for feed wheat, she had only an old crop price of C$7.50/bu., noting that buyers are waiting to see how this year’s wheat turns out.
When it comes to corn imported from the United States, Leclerc said the amount had tapered off a fair bit, but more purchases were now being made. She expects volumes to pick up again, but they won’t be as much as when Prairie barley and wheat were scarce.
Moving grain by truck continued to be something an issue in Alberta, Leclerc noted, but business has been lax. Once the busy season starts towards the end of July, she said there will very likely be problems with availability of drivers and trucks.
