By Commodity News Service Canada
WINNIPEG, Jan. 19 (CNS Canada) – France’s Strategie Grains lowered its forecast on the size of the European Union 2017 soft wheat crop by 1.2 million tonnes, citing severe cold in eastern regions. However, at 143.8 million tonnes the production would still be above the 135.9 million tonnes grown the previous year.
Strategie Grains raised its forecasts for barley and corn production by 200,000 and 400,000 tonnes from last year respectively, due to expectations for increased spring seedings. The total EU barley crop is forecast at 61.2 million tonnes, and corn at 61.3 million.
Corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade posted small gains on Thursday, with fresh export sales providing some support.
Feed barley bids in the key cattle feeding area of Lethbridge, Alberta were in the C$165 to C$170 per tonne range as of January 13, which were relatively steady compared to the previous week, according to the latest pricing information from the provincial government. Top end feed wheat prices were also steady, at C$182 to C$187 per tonne in Lethbridge.
