Markets
Scales, and the practice of weighing, have been around since the first humans placed stones on the plates of the earliest recorded overhead beam balancers. While the act of weighing objects persists, the validity of the physical variations of the scale must at some point be improved upon, said Sergio Monge, global sales manager for […] Read more
Markets
White-hot canaryseed market takes a break
The canaryseed market is in a standoff as international customers stop buying and Canadian farmers are no longer selling. The market started rallying in the summer and reached a record of 55 cents per pound by early fall. It has since cooled to around 50 cents. “It has been a very wild market, to say […] Read more
Lentil sales outlook to India considered lacklustre
India’s pigeon pea crop has considerable quality damage but don’t expect increased demand for Canada’s limited supply of green lentils, say analysts. IGrain India Pvt is forecasting 3.1 million tonnes of Indian pigeon pea production, down slightly from last year. Crop damage was caused by harvest winds, rain and serious pest infestations. IGrain estimates 20 […] Read more
Dry conditions threaten U.S. winter wheat crop
Drought in the southern Plains is not as severe as is in the north, but market rally is possible if conditions don’t improve
The U.S. winter wheat crop is heading into dormancy in the second worst condition of this century. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that 23 percent of the crop was in poor to very poor shape as of the end of November. It is the lowest rating for that period since 2012. “Across portions of […] Read more
Vegetable oil loses its first-place spot in oilseed complex
Vegetable oils have led the way for the oilseed complex for months but have recently weakened. However, even as the oil component fell, the prices of soybeans and canola have held fairly steady. From Nov. 15 to Dec. 15 January canola futures fell 1.3 percent, February soybeans gained 0.4 percent while February soy oil fell […] Read more
Bio-economy needs workers
Western Canadian companies that produce biofuel, make nutritional supplements or process hemp fibres into kitty litter have the same problem as hundreds of other businesses on the Prairies — a lack of workers. A Dec. 6 report from BioTalent Canada, a firm that studies the labour market in the bio-economy, says the industry will need […] Read more
Fairness can be elusive when dealing with farm property
What I’m about to share started with a phone call from a farmer. There is no right or wrong in the following. No gender bias. No judgment intended. It’s just real-life transition on a farm. The farmer said that his son was anxious to get some certainty on the yard site that he and his […] Read more
Pet boom prompts pulse demand surge
Pet food manufacturers in the United States are buying more pulses from Canada as more people buy pets during COVID
Millions of lonely and isolated people have been seeking companionship during the COVID-19 pandemic, spurring a huge increase in pet ownership and pet food demand, says a grain industry executive. An estimated 10 million new pets have been added to North American households during the pandemic, said Jeff Vipond, vice-president and general manager of pulses, […] Read more
Canola prospects brighten as EU turns its back on palm oil
Biodiesel consumption expected to fall as the move to electric vehicles continues, but canola demand is not likely to drop
There is a good news/bad news scenario emerging for canola oil in the European Union’s biodiesel sector, according to a Rabobank report. The bad news is that diesel demand is expected to fall with the increased adoption of electric and hydrogen vehicles. The electric share of new car registrations in the EU is expected to […] Read more
Turkey significantly expands lentil production
Rising fertilizer prices and the devalued Turkish lira spark the increase and will likely come at the expense of wheat acres
One of the top buyers of Canadian lentils is greatly expanding its own plantings but yields could be way down due to a prolonged drought. Turkey may increase its lentil acres by up to 30 percent, according to Armada Foods, a major Turkish importer-exporter and processor of pulses. The huge expansion of acres will come […] Read more
