Record Canola Acres — If Land Dries Soon

Canada’s farmers intend to plant more canola, all wheat and oats than the trade expected, according to Statistics Canada’s first report on 2011 crop plans, but wet farms have left seeding plans in doubt. Farmers have been idled so far this spring as cool weather slowed melting of deep snow-pack on already saturated ground. Planting

Canola Industry’s Eyes On Calendar

Canola futures on the ICE Futures Canada trading platform suffered declines during the week ended April 29. Outright liquidation by speculative and commodity fund accounts fuelled the downward price slide. The losses were exaggerated by the triggering of sell-stop orders on the way down. Losses in CBOT (Chicago Board of Trade) soyoil and new-crop CBOT


CME Wheat Storage Plan May Hinder Feed Switch

U.S. livestock producers seeking to switch from high-cost corn to wheat in their feed rations face a hurdle from a controversial plan that makes it more profitable for grain elevators to hold on to their wheat supplies, analysts said. The CME Group’s plan, which aims to narrow the spread between soft red winter wheat futures

CBOT Corn Tops Wheat For First Time In 15 Years

For the first time in 15 years, wheat prices fell below those for corn on April 12, opening the door wider for wheat to become fodder for livestock and poultry. Soft red winter wheat futures briefly traded below prices for corn at the Chicago Board of Trade, the pinnacle of corn’s climb to record highs


Summerfallow Acres Expected To Shrink

Canola futures on the ICE Futures Canada trading platform regained ground during the holiday-shortened week ending April 21. Much of the upturn in values reflected the advances experienced by CBOT (Chicago Board of Trade) soybean and soyoil prices. Concerns about the weather in Western Canada and its impact on seeding operations also influenced some of

In Brief… – for Apr. 21, 2011

Food safety chair:Is our food safe to eat? A new Chair in Food Safety the first of its kind in Canada puts McGill University at the head of the table in seeking answers to that question. The chair will undertake collaborative research, offer undergraduate and graduate teaching programs, and provide the independent, third-party expertise on


Risk-Averse Investors Ignore Weather Signals

Old-crop canola con-t racts on the ICE Futures Canada trading platform took it on the chin during the week ended April 15, suffering larger losses than the new-crop months. The complete lack of buying interest resulted in the nearby May and July canola futures suffering some significant declines. Steady elevator company hedge selling, prompted by

Canola Acres Could Decline In Manitoba

Oilseed acres may be nearing their maximum in Manitoba and could decline over the next six years, according to projections from the provincial Agriculture Department. Total canola, flaxseed, sunflower and soybean acres will peak at 4.6 million acres in 2011 and fall slightly to 4.5 million acres by 2017, predicts Anastasia Kubinec, a Manitoba Agr


Argentina Revisits Export Tax Scheme

Argentina may revive a controversial tax system on grain exports, a local newspaper reported April 10, in a move that could raise tensions with farmers in one of the world’s main suppliers of grains. A similar plan to raise taxes on soy exports in 2008 sparked nationwide farmer protests that rattled global commodity markets and

Waters Remain Muddied For Seeding Predictions

Canola futures on the ICE Futures Canada trading platform were mixed during the week ended April 8, with old-crop months down and new-crop contracts posting advances. The sell-off of the nearby May and July canola futures reflected the ample old-crop supply situation and the absence of demand from the domestic and export sectors. Talk surfaced