27 March

Egypt’s GASC to continue purchasing imported wheat during local season

Egypt’s state grain buyer, the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) will continue to import wheat during the local wheat-buying season as it aims to increase its strategic reserves, Supply Minister Ali Moselhy said on Sunday.

But he said private sector imports would be banned from April 15 to July 15. The private sector import ban is a government effort to prevent fraud in local procurement.

Source: Reuters

Brazil: soy harvest reaches 68% and projections can go higher; AgRural

According to the consultancy, the soybean harvest progressed nationwide to 68 percent of the total surface. The average of the previous years is 67 percent. The output estimate was kept at 107 million metric tons, but the experts have signaled to a likley increase in April

Source: AgroSouthNews

EU wheat crop comes through winter in ‘promising’ condition

The European Commission forecast soft wheat yields in the EU at 6.02 tonnes per hectare, based on long-term trends. This would be up 7.7% year-on-year, at 3.0% above the five-year average.

Wheat yields in France are forecast to rise by 35% from the very low levels of the previous season.

Source: Agrimoney

28 March

India. Government imposes 10% tax on wheat, pulse imports

India on Tuesday imposed a 10% import tax on wheat with immediate effect, government sources said, reinstating the tariff after a gap of nearly four months that saw large overseas purchases.

The farm ministry last month forecast wheat output at 96.64 million tonnes in 2017, up from 92.29 million tonnes last year.

Source: UkrAgroConsult

29 March

Ankara to discuss Russian grain supplies in early April

Russia’s and Turkey’s economy ministries plan to hold talks on Russian grain supplies to Turkey in early April, Russian deputy economy minister Alexei Gruzdev said on Wednesday.

Turkey has put purchases of wheat, maize (corn) and sunflower from Russia on hold by imposing high import tariffs from mid-March. Ankara officially denies any bans on imports from Russia, while Moscow has said that the move is hindering relations.

Source: Reuters

30 March

Romania: wheat crop and export prospects for 2017/18 season

According to UkrAgroConsult, export shipments from Romania are expected to fall by 10-15% in the 2017/18 season in view of shrunk production.

According to local meteorologists, the soil moisture content in the 0-100-cm layer is currently not enough for normal development of winter wheat plants. However, the situation may be improved by rains, which are predicted to become more abundant late in March and early in April. This factor may enhance Romania’s chances to get a richer wheat crop.

Source: UkrAgroConsult

Torrential rains to last for five days in key producing regions of Argentina

A new cold front has come from the south of Argentina and will affect most soybean and corn producing regions in the coming hours. The rains are likely to last for five days. In Santa Rosa, capital of La Pampa province, there were already over 11 inches of rain accumulated today (03.30).

The precipitation is spreading to the south and west of the Buenos Aires province and soon may get to Córdoba and Santa Fe. The harvest of soybeans is about to start in all of those provinces.

Source: AgroSouthNews

31 March

Another El Nino drought is now ‘likely’, South Africa warns

South Africa’s weather service and global forecasters have predicted that El Nino will form again in the southern hemisphere winter or spring, which falls between July and September.

But these effects will not arrive in time to threaten the corn crop being harvested now, and the current outlook is positive for winter wheat sowings

Source: Agrimoney

Russia. Prices kept falling in Russia’s milling wheat export market

Export prices for Russian milling wheat closed the week down another $1 at $190‑192/MT FOB for 12.5%-protein wheat and $186‑188/MT FOB for 11.5% wheat in the Novorossiysk port for April-May delivery.

The prices were pressured not only by downward trends in the world market. Expectedly, the Turkey situation is adversely affecting the export market.

Source: UkrAgroConsult