Prairie CWRS bids firm as other classes edge lower

Minneapolis and Kansas City May wheat futures both rose on the week

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Published: April 18, 2019

,

Average (CWRS) prices ranged from about $229 per tonne in western Manitoba to as high as $250 in southern Alberta.

Western Canadian wheat bids were mixed during the week ended April 12, reacting to activity in U.S. futures and a firmer Canadian dollar, with gains in hard red spring wheat and losses in Prairie spring wheat.

Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were up by $1-$5 per tonne at most locations, with only eastern Manitoba seeing a slight decline, according to price quotes from a cross-section of delivery points compiled by PDQ (Price and Data Quotes). Average prices ranged from about $229 per tonne in western Manitoba to as high as $250 in southern Alberta.

Read Also

https://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/photo/flags-royalty-free-image/173870672?phrase=Canadian%20U.S.%20flags&adppopup=true
An American and Canadian flag waving in the wind. Photo: KKIDD/IStock/Getty Images

Canola market finds upside as U.S.-Canada trade talks restart

Biofuels inclusion in U.S. “Big Beautiful Bill” thought to be a silver lining for Canadian canola in the first week of July.

Quoted basis levels varied from location to location and ranged from $32 to $53 per tonne above the futures when using the grain company methodology of quoting the basis as the difference between U.S. dollar-denominated futures and Canadian dollar cash bids.

When accounting for currency exchange rates by adjusting Canadian prices to U.S. dollars, CWRS bids ranged from US$172 to US$188 per tonne. That would put the currency-adjusted basis levels at about US$9-$25 below the futures.

Looking at it the other way around, if Minneapolis futures are converted to Canadian dollars, CWRS basis levels across Western Canada range from $12 to $33 below the futures.

Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) wheat bids were steady to mostly lower, losing as much as $2.70 per tonne in northwestern Saskatchewan. Prices ranged from $193 to $223 per tonne across the Prairies.

Average durum prices were down $1-$5 per tonne, with bids averaging $236 per tonne in the key durum-growing region of southern Saskatchewan.

The May spring wheat contract in Minneapolis, off of which most CWRS contracts Canada are based, was quoted April 12 at US$5.3125 per bushel, up by 8.75 U.S. cents from the previous week.

Kansas City hard red winter wheat futures, traded in Chicago, are more closely linked to CPSR in Canada. The May K.C. wheat contract was quoted April 12 at US$4.3425 per bushel, up three U.S. cents compared to the previous week.

The Chicago Board of Trade May soft wheat contract settled at US$4.645 per bushel on April 12, down by 3.25 U.S. cents on the week.

The Canadian dollar was up by roughly a quarter-cent relative to its U.S. counterpart during the week at 75.02 U.S. cents.

About the author

Phil Franz-Warkentin

Phil Franz-Warkentin

Editor - Daily News

Phil Franz-Warkentin grew up on an acreage in southern Manitoba and has reported on agriculture for over 20 years. Based in Winnipeg, his writing has appeared in publications across Canada and internationally. Phil is a trusted voice on the Prairie radio waves providing daily futures market updates. In his spare time, Phil enjoys playing music and making art.

explore

Stories from our other publications