The Nile River at Cairo. (CIA.gov)

Egypt bans ergot in wheat, again

Cairo/Abu Dhabi | Reuters — Egypt reinstated on Sunday a controversial ban on wheat shipments containing even the slightest amount of a common grain fungus, baffling traders who had returned to the Egyptian market just last month when the ban was lifted. The world’s largest wheat importer said on Sunday it was re-introducing its zero […] Read more



Khaled Hanafi, Egypt’s minister for supply and internal trading, shown here at a meeting Tuesday, has resigned in the wake of the country’s ongoing probe into purchases of local wheat. (MSIT.gov.eg)

Egypt’s wheat corruption scandal takes down supply minister

Cairo/Abu Dhabi | Reuters — Egypt’s Minister of Supply Khaled Hanafi has resigned amid the highest-profile corruption case since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi came to power in 2014. Hanafi’s resignation is the most senior-level fallout from a probe into whether millions of dollars intended to subsidize farmers were used to purchase wheat that did not […] Read more

(EC.europa.eu)

Pettigrew tapped to help push through EU trade deal

Ottawa | Reuters — Canada has named a former politician with experience in trade and foreign affairs as the government’s new envoy to help complete its long-negotiated free trade agreement with the European Union, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. Pierre Pettigrew, who served as both minister of foreign affairs and minister for international trade under previous […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

StatsCan’s canola estimates taken with grain of salt

CNS Canada — Statistics Canada’s latest crop production estimates are in and while they may raise a few eyebrows, the numbers aren’t likely to cause havoc in the markets, according to most trade analysts. StatsCan on Tuesday pegged canola production in 2016-17 at 17 million tonnes. That compares to pre-report ideas of 15.9 to 20 […] Read more




The Nile River at Cairo. (CIA.gov)

Egypt public prosecutor orders 13 arrested in wheat corruption case

Cairo | Reuters — Egypt’s public prosecutor has ordered the arrest of 13 people for 15 days pending an investigation into their role in a wheat procurement corruption scandal, judicial sources said on Saturday. Egypt, the world’s largest wheat importer, has been mired in controversy over its wheat supplies, with industry officials claiming that over […] Read more


(Weatherfarm.com)

Wet weather threatens lentils, durum

CNS Canada — Wet weather across the Prairies has put a damper on the region’s crop prospects, according to one weather specialist. While drying events in coming weeks will limit further quality declines, it’s not expected to do so as much as some producers would like. “It’s really quite wet in some locations, and it’s […] Read more

Durum wheat. (Gipsa.usda.gov)

More durum may come to those who wait

CNS Canada –– Cool, wet weather may have slowed crop development and delayed harvest, but durum is determined to be worth the wait with above-average yields. “We’re looking at some fairly high yields given the early estimates… average yields should come in at 47.5 to 48 bushels per acre this year,” said Jerry Klassen, manager […] Read more