EU flags in front of the headquarters of the European Commission in Brussels. (Jorisvo/iStock/Getty Images)

More grain for European Union in 2023-24, USDA projects

Larger production seen reducing need for imports

MarketsFarm — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) attaché in Madrid is projecting an increase in grain production for the European Union (EU) in 2023-24. In USDA’s Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report released Wednesday, the attaché pegged the EU’s 2023-24 grain production at 284.7 million tonnes, 17.9 million more than this year’s crop which

CBOT May 2023 soft red winter wheat with 20-day moving average, MGEX May 2023 hard red spring wheat (yellow line, left column) and K.C. May 2023 hard red winter wheat (orange line, left column). (Barchart)

U.S. grains: Chicago futures dip as Ukraine inspections resume

Planting windows seen in U.S. despite rain forecasts

Mexico City | Reuters — Chicago grains and soy futures closed lower on Wednesday after inspections of ships carrying Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea resumed, and crude oil’s dip pressured prices down. A Ukrainian official said that “ship inspections are being resumed, despite the RF’s (Russian Federation’s) attempts to disrupt the agreement.” Kyiv faces


Trucks wait for crossing into Poland at the Rava-Ruska border checkpoint in Ukraine’s Lviv region on April 17, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Roman Baluk)

EU plans import curbs on Ukraine grain, farmer supports for border countries

Grain would be let into five countries only for export

Brussels | Reuters — The European Union is preparing 100 million euros (C$147.4 million) in compensation for farmers in five countries bordering Ukraine and plans to introduce restrictions on imports of Ukrainian grains. Pressure has mounted on Brussels to work out a European Union-wide solution after Poland and Hungary banned some imports from Ukraine last

(Omersukrugoksu/iStock/Getty Images)

Ukraine agrees with Poland on resumed grain transit

Ukraine also trying to salvage Black Sea grain deal

Warsaw | Reuters — Poland agreed on Tuesday to lift a ban on the transit of Ukrainian grain and food products, but Ukraine said a wartime deal allowing it to safely ship grain from Black Sea ports was still under threat. Failure to resume exports into eastern European countries or secure an extension of the



Trucks wait for crossing into Poland at the Rava-Ruska border checkpoint in Ukraine’s Lviv region on April 17, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Roman Baluk)

Bans on Ukrainian grain imports mount as Kyiv seeks transit deal

Poland, Hungary ban imports; Slovakia follows

Kyiv/Rava-Ruska, Ukraine | Reuters — Slovakia on Monday joined Poland and Hungary in banning grain imports from Ukraine as even Kyiv’s staunchest allies come under domestic pressure to shield their agriculture markets. The heat is mounting on Brussels to work out a European Union wide solution after Warsaw and Budapest announced bans on some imports


EU expects oilseed output to hit record high in 2023-24

The European Commission expects 2023-24 oilseed crops to increase by seven per cent from the previous year to a record 33.6 million tonnes, mainly because of a larger area sown, it said March 30. In its short-term outlook, the EU executive said that attractive prices during the sowing period and mild conditions during winter had



The most recent U.S. national security strategy characterizes China as “the only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order…”

Comment: Western leaders divided over relationship with China

The U.S. and EU are striking different paths when it comes to this world power

European Council president Charles Michel headed to Beijing on Dec. 1, the latest in a procession of western leaders to seek an audience with Xi Jinping, in a year when the Chinese president has cemented his position as the country’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. Xi met more than 20 heads of government earlier

Coceral expects European grain output to rise in 2023

Coceral expects European grain output to rise in 2023

Grain production in the European Union plus the United Kingdom is expected to rise in 2023, grain industry lobby group Coceral said recently, recovering after dry and hot weather caused crop damage in many parts of the region this year. Harvest prospects in the EU are being monitored closely as grain markets wrestle with supply