Insights and Stories of Karl Plume

Jun. 14, 2023 at 2:26 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters — Bunge’s planned acquisition of Viterra would make the world’s biggest oilseed crusher even more dominant and secure a larger role in the expanding renewable diesel industry, although it may face competition hurdles. Under the deal to create an agricultural giant worth about $34 billion including debt, […]

By Karl Plume, Rod Nickel

May. 31, 2023 at 7:57 pm CDT

Reuters — A merger of U.S. grains merchant Bunge Ltd. with rival Viterra would grow the combined entity’s businesses in the U.S., Brazil and Australia and may raise competition concerns in parts of Canada and Argentina, where key oilseed processing assets overlap, analysts said. Sources last week said Bunge and […]

By Karl Plume

May. 1, 2023 at 3:02 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. wheat futures tumbled to fresh lows on Monday on ample world supplies, sluggish U.S. export demand and beneficial rains in key production areas of the Plains and Midwest. Corn futures slumped on forecasts for favourable Midwest planting weather and lagging U.S. export sales, while soybeans […]

By Karl Plume

Mar. 31, 2023 at 5:46 pm CDT

Chicago | Reuters — U.S. farmers are aiming to expand plantings of corn, wheat and soybeans this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a prospective plantings report on Friday, as the ongoing war in Ukraine keeps global supplies tight. But adverse planting conditions are likely to trim […]

By Karl Plume

Mar. 29, 2023 at 12:24 pm CDT

Moscow/Chicago | Reuters — Cargill said Wednesday it would take a further step back from the Russian market by stopping handling Russian grain from its export terminal from July, although its shipping unit will continue to carry grain from Russian ports. Most international grain traders have stopped new investment in […]

By Karl Plume, Olga Popova