While Chicago wheat futures trended lower, spring wheat contracts on the Minneapolis Grain Exchange rose sharply this past week on concerns about the supply of higher quality, high protein wheat. The September contract closed on Friday at US$5.87/bu — the highest it’s been since the middle of June 2016. There are three primary factors, explains Neil… Read More
Harvest is off to a wet start in much of Western Canada, putting a damper on potential quality and yield. We hear from Neil Townsend of FarmLink Marketing Solutions on this week’s podcast, discussing how the wheat market looks as harvest ramps up. As well, cattle people from across the country are in Calgary this week for the inaugural… Read More
The complete picture will be painted over the next few weeks, but buyers are bracing themselves for variable quality in this year’s wheat crop in Western Canada. “The big challenge is the ongoing rainfall events,” notes Neil Townsend, market analyst with FarmLink Marketing Solutions, in the interview below. “Other quality factors, not just protein, but… Read More
For the better part of the last two decades, commodity markets have become accustomed to demand growth from China supporting prices. Whether it was iron ore from Australia or soybeans from the U.S., sales to China grew year-over-year. However, it’s becoming increasingly likely that those days are over. Headlines over the last few week to show the… Read More
New crop wheat futures fell from recent highs on Wednesday after the USDA published some larger-than-expected wheat supply projections. The USDA’s June reports were not friendly for prices across the board, says Neil Townsend of CWB Market Research in our conversation below. (Read the WASDE report here and the Crop Production estimates here.) Along with slightly larger domestic production, he… Read More
Prices for wheat, corn, soybeans and canola all declined on Tuesday following the release of the USDA’s February supply/demand report. “(The report) confirmed what the markets were thinking,” says Neil Townsend, director of market research with CWB in the interview posted below. “U.S. numbers were pretty firm — they’re not going to change the production… Read More
Quality problems with this year’s durum crop in Italy and France, combined with the worst quality crop on record and lower yields in Canada, have resulted in skyrocketing prices for durum. Buyers are scrambling to find higher quality supplies for pasta production, says Neil Townsend, director of market research with CWB, in the interview below…. Read More