A barley crop south of Ethelton, Sask. on July 30, 2019. (Dave Bedard photo)

Australia reaches deal with China in barley dispute

Trade shift may be 'bad news' for Canada and other exporters

Sydney/Beijing | Reuters — Australia has reached an agreement with China to resolve their dispute over barley imports, the two countries said on Tuesday, a latest sign of improving ties between the major commodity trade partners. Relations between the two had been strained for years, and worsened after Australia called for an inquiry into the […] Read more

Green lentils. (Savany/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: India’s tariff elimination has little effect on Canada

MarketsFarm — A temporary elimination of some import duties on three pulses currently has little effect on Canada, according to Mac Ross, director of market access and trade policy for Pulse Canada. Earlier in mid-May, the Indian government ordered the suspension of tariffs on pigeon peas, mung beans and urad/black gram lentils until Oct. 31. […] Read more



An ammonia and nitrogen fertilizer plant in Russia. (Saoirse_2010/iStock/Getty Images)

High fertilizer prices likely to climb more

MarketsFarm — Expect fertilizer prices to resume increasing, despite having fallen back recently. Prices began their sharp rise around the middle of December and beginning of January. “They will go higher as demand goes up at seeding time,” Mike Jubinville of MarketsFarm Pro in Winnipeg said. Jubinville reported urea prices have jumped $100 per tonne […] Read more


(Scott Bauer photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

U.S. trade body rules blueberry imports do not harm industry

Canada among top five nations selling blueberries into U.S.

Washington/Mexico City | Reuters — The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled on Thursday that blueberry imports are not causing serious injury to domestic producers and will not recommend further action to reduce foreign supplies, in a win for berry exporters. In recent years, U.S. producers have claimed damages from what they argue are unfair […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

U.S. puts duties on phosphate from Morocco, Russia

Reuters — The U.S. Department of Commerce said Tuesday it would set preliminary duties on phosphate fertilizer imports from Russia and Morocco, after launching an investigation to determine if producers in these countries were receiving unfair subsidies. The department set preliminary duties of 23.46 per cent on imports from Morocco’s OCP Group and other producers […] Read more


Green lentils. (Savany/iStock/Getty Images)

Pulse weekly outlook: Drop in India’s production may lead to lower duties

MarketsFarm — There’s a possibility the government of India could lower its import duties on pulses, including those from Canada, according to reports. With India’s monsoon rains having continued longer than usual, production of the country’s kharif (summer) pulse production fell by almost two million tonnes. Prior to the monsoons, market expectations called for 10.1 […] Read more



A Mexican port-of-entry sign on Highway 92 near Naco, Arizona. (Rex_Wholster/iStock/Getty Images)

New Mexican duties against U.S. ready soon, minister says

Toronto | Reuters — Mexico is finalizing duties to impose on new U.S. products in retaliation for the Trump administration’s steel and aluminum tariffs and details should be available soon, Economy Minister Graciela Marquez said on Tuesday. Mexico and Canada have both imposed retaliatory measures on billions of dollars of U.S. goods. Mexico said in […] Read more

An eight-year-old handler walks her best-in-class York Barrow pig on June 4, 2014 at World Pork Expo in Des Moines. (File photo: Reuters/Lane Hickenbottom)

World Pork Expo cancelled over swine fever fears

Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. pork industry canceled its annual convention on Wednesday over concerns that international attendees could bring in an incurable hog disease at a time when U.S. farmers are already suffering from trade wars. The decision to scrap the World Pork Expo, held by the National Pork Producers Council in Des […] Read more