Political relations with China are about as frosty as the Polar Vortex and worries are rampant that China is stalling canola imports so it is hard to believe that just a few months ago Canadian and Chinese officials were talking about doubling agricultural trade by 2025. In November Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Minister of […] Read more
Author Archives
New trade deals offer hope for more diversified markets
Huawei issue could slam door on canola exports
Political friction between China and Canada is raising worries that the Asian giant might limit its imports of canola. Exports of the oilseed lag behind last year’s pace and if our biggest buyer were to slow purchases, it would be a serious thing. There is worrisome talk that unofficial roadblocks are already hampering new sales, […] Read more
Palm challenges could alter veg oil market
Dry weather in Brazil and forecasts for rising palm oil prices are providing modest support for the oilseed market. Uncertainties about trade with China remain a wild card, but the fundamental supply and demand situation is shaping up better than it has been for a while. Dry weather is shaving down Brazilian soybean forecasts. A […] Read more
Science partnership is good branding for agriculture
Success in marketing often rests on how you can differentiate your product from the other guy’s — in other words, branding. Branding is your image and the way you portray the story of your product. Tim Hortons is all about everyday Canadians, hockey and the grit needed to get through winter, while Starbucks portrays urban […] Read more
Modest increase expected in U.S. winter wheat acreage
Given that wheat has been one of the better performing grain markets in the past year, it should not be a big surprise that the trade expects United States winter wheat acreage to halt the precipitous declines of recent years. The U.S. Department of Agriculture was to release its annual winter wheat seeding report along […] Read more
Move to meatless meals will affect livestock producers
A grocery flyer in my daily newspaper a few days after New Year’s Day caused me to raise my eyebrows. Featuring foods such as almond and coconut drinks, gluten-free pasta, and veggie protein meat replacement products, it was dedicated to vegetarian and organic foods, protein powders and vitamins. But it did not come from a […] Read more
Food costs might rise modestly but are still affordable
One challenge journalists face is to provide context to the issues and events they cover while mindful of the space and time constraints inherent in their medium. Facts by themselves might yield little meaning or the wrong meaning if they are not given context. I yearned for a little more context in the reporting on […] Read more
Grain markets watch and wait for actual Chinese buying
Grain markets appear to be saying “show me the money” before getting too excited about renewed trade talks between the United States and China. As the phrase goes, traders “bought the rumour” leading up to the G20 meeting in Argentina that saw the presidents of the world’s two leading economies sit down over supper to […] Read more
Indonesia top importer as wheat sales remain brisk
It is always tricky to write a column with a deadline just as major news-making events are evolving. American President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly agreed on the weekend to temporarily cool down their trade war for 90 days to allow for new negotiations. And a White House statement said the Chinese […] Read more
Big Algerian durum crop weighs down price prospects
When searching for the reason for poor durum prices this year we know Italy’s country-of-origin labelling requirement is a problem, but we must also note Algeria’s pursuit of durum self-sufficiency. Algeria is often the largest buyer of Canadian durum, so it raised eyebrows a few years ago when the government decided it would be better […] Read more
