(Dave Bedard photo)

Brazilian antitrust agency approves Bayer-Monsanto tie-up

Brasilia | Reuters — Brazilian antitrust agency Cade on Wednesday approved Bayer’s proposed takeover of U.S. seeds company Monsanto without requiring further asset sales beyond a global proposal announced last October. Cade’s commissioners voted 4-2 in favour of the tie-up under an agreement, negotiated between the companies and global antitrust agencies, that included the sale

(Staff photo)

Nutrien sees demand growth cooling, margins shrinking

Reuters — Nutrien, the Canadian fertilizer and farm supply dealer created from the merger of Agrium and PotashCorp this year, said it expected demand growth for potash in China and India to cool down in 2018. Nutrien, the world’s biggest fertilizer company by capacity, also said higher input costs would shrink nitrogen and phosphate margins.


(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. grains: Soybeans fall on weak exports, bumper Brazil harvest

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures dropped for a second straight day on Thursday on technical selling and profit taking following government data showing lower-than-anticipated U.S. export sales last week. Forecasts for rain and cooler temperatures in Argentina by mid-February and an accelerating soy harvest in Brazil further weighed on prices. Corn and wheat




A mountain of “second” corn (winter corn) stored outside of already-full storage bins in Mato Grosso state, Brazil, July 26, 2017.

Heavy rains not seen slowing Brazilian winter corn

There might be a small acreage drop, but the country is expected to continue to be a leading exporter

Reuters – Forecasts of heavy rainfall during Brazil’s soy-harvesting season are unlikely to discourage farmers from planting winter corn, according to Agroconsult, as it kicked off an annual crop tour Jan. 16 in the top grain-producing state of Mato Grosso. Once an afterthought, winter or second corn is planted after soybeans are harvested in states