(Dave Bedard photo)

Little change in barley acres expected

Malt barley prices mainly steady

MarketsFarm — As spring planting approaches, Peter Watt of the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC) said there likely won’t be a big shift in barley acres that will be planted in 2023. “Producers have made their [planting] decisions for the most part. You might see people adjust their plans a little bit based on […] Read more

(Thinkstock photo)

Prairie cash wheat: Red spring wheats gain ground, durum dips

U.S. futures, Canadian dollar up on week

MarketsFarm — Wheat prices on the Canadian Prairies saw upticks in the red spring varieties during the week ended Thursday, while durum stepped back a little. A strong upswing in the U.S. wheat complex lent support to Canadian cash prices, but a slightly higher dollar tempered further increases. There’s continued dryness in the U.S., especially […] Read more


Barley. (Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Grains wait for demand to pick up

Trucking availability still seen as an issue, but less of one

MarketsFarm — As feed barley continued to sit in a lull, there have been some increases in feed wheat, according to Brandon Motz of CorNine Commodities at Lacombe, Alta. “There’s a little of downward pressure on barley,” Motz said, noting demand for it is expected to soon pick up. Feed wheat prices have increased recently, […] Read more

(Thinkstock photo)

Prairie cash wheat: U.S. futures drag down wheat bids

Potential for more interest rate hikes remains

MarketsFarm — Hawkish comments from the chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve and the possible renewal of the Black Sea Grain Initiative brought down wheat futures on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) for the week ended Thursday — and, in turn, pressured western Canadian wheat bids. In front of the U.S. Senate banking committee […] Read more


(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Feed weekly outlook: Corn the choice crop in feedlots

'Bigger feedlots are looking for volume'

MarketsFarm — Copious amounts of corn are still being delivered to feedlots in southern Alberta despite slowly declining prices for other feed grains. “Corn is coming down over the last little bit,” Mike Fleischhauer of Eagle Commodities Ltd. in Lethbridge said. “You think that there would be a little bit more barley hitting the market. […] Read more

A wall in the medina (ancient city quarter) of Rabat, Morocco’s capital. (Cia.gov)

Morocco adjusts wheat import scheme in nod to Black Sea

Move could bump up competition among exporters

Rabat/Paris | Reuters — Morocco, a major cereal importer, has modified its wheat import subsidy scheme to make it easier for companies to bring in cargoes from the Black Sea region, an official at state grain agency ONICL said on Wednesday. The revision, also reported by traders, means that as of March importers are able […] Read more


(Thinkstock photo)

Prairie cash wheat: Bids dip with U.S. futures

Canadian dollar also down on week

MarketsFarm — Spring wheat bids in Western Canada posted losses during the week ended Thursday, underpinned as losses in U.S. futures weighed on values. Average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS, 13.5 per cent protein) wheat prices were down by $3.50-$8.10 per tonne across the Prairies, according to price quotes from a cross-section of delivery points […] Read more

Photo: File

Feed weekly outlook: Barley exports slowing down, local prices steady

Feedlots relatively well covered

MarketsFarm — Canadian barley exports slowed down in January, but out-of-country movement is still running ahead of the year-ago pace, according to updated export data from the Canadian Grain Commission. Canada exported 131,100 tonnes of barley from licensed facilities in January, with China the top customer taking 100,500 tonnes. Total barley exports were well off […] Read more


(BASF.com)

BASF halting hybrid wheat seed development in North America

Results 'have not achieved development goals we set'

Reuters — Global chemicals and crop seeds company BASF is halting development of hybrid wheat in North America after results of seed trials failed to reach development goals, the company told Reuters on Wednesday. BASF will instead focus development of the new type of wheat in European markets, aiming to launch the technology there “toward […] Read more

(Thinkstock photo)

Prairie cash wheat: Durum rises, red spring falls back

U.S. wheat futures down on week

MarketsFarm — Wheat prices on the Canadian Prairies saw the red spring varieties take a hit during the week ended Thursday, while durum made gains. There were sharp declines in the U.S. wheat complex, which weighed on Canadian cash prices while a weaker dollar helped to stymie further losses. Despite the one-year anniversary of the […] Read more