In USDA’s March acreage report, lower-than-expected acreage surprised markets. U.S. corn planting intentions were slated at a five-year high of 91.1 million acres, up 325,0000 acres YOY but notably below the industry estimate. For soybeans, producers intend to plant a three-year high of 87.6 [...]
As of Mar. 1, U.S. cattle on feed totaled 12.0 million head, down 1 percent on the month but up about 2 percent YOY. Headcount was a record high for the month of March. This may give some indication of potential feed demand growth [...]
Export sales and shipments of 2020/21 soybeans were both on the low side the week of Mar. 18. Sales were offset by 152,500 MT of reductions for unknown destinations, a slightly higher level of cancellations than we saw over the previous couple weeks. Exports [...]
After reaching new highs at 57.47 cents per pound last Wednesday, trading the daily limit up, soybean oil crashed and ended the week on back-to-back limit-down days. The nearby May-21 contract closed at 52.48 cents per pound, the lowest since Mar. 4. Concerns over [...]
As we near the end of Q1, cocoa bean stocks in licensed U.S. warehouses continue to seasonally climb with the arrivals of more main-crop beans from West Africa. We are already 5 percent above last year’s levels at this time, and inventories should continue [...]
The continued recovery in global vanilla production, along with improved quality of 2019/20 beans, has brought prices below half their peak, near $600, seen a few seasons ago. Madagascar’s government has set a price floor of $250 kg for its vanilla beans, and the [...]
As of Mar. 18, safrinha corn was 90 percent planted as periods of dryness allowed for accelerated planting. Strong corn prices continue to incentivize Brazilian farmers to plant well beyond the ideal time. Brazilian soybeans were some 59 percent harvested overall with Mato Grosso’s [...]
China is just about out of the U.S. soybean market at this point—exports to China were 82,000 MT last week—and will likely take only minimal shipments through June. U.S. exports tend to pick up during July-August, after Brazil moves most of its volume during [...]
