Insights and Stories of Phil Franz-Warkentin

Crop Week: Peas tight, but macro issues weigh

Jan. 11, 2012 at 11:19 am CST

Tight Canadian pea supplies continue to underpin the market, but global macroeconomic concerns may keep prices from strengthening much above their current high levels, presenters said here Tuesday during Crop Week. Speaking at the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers meeting, Mike Jubinville of ProFarmer Canada and Colin Topham of Agrocorp International pointed […]

Crop Week: Oats looking weak, but farmers still in control

Jan. 11, 2012 at 11:12 am CST

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Crop Week: Canaryseed sluggish, but supplies tight

Jan. 10, 2012 at 4:59 am CST

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Crop Week: Flax acres likely to fall again in 2012

Jan. 9, 2012 at 9:05 pm CST

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Crop Week: Prairie wheat marketing inconsistent in early days

Jan. 9, 2012 at 6:35 pm CST

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Planned western wheat, durum futures generating interest

Jan. 6, 2012 at 9:33 pm CST

The upcoming launch of wheat, durum and barley futures contracts on the ICE Futures Canada trading platform on Jan. 23 is reported to be generating interest from many potential participants. The Canadian government passed legislation in December ending the Canadian Wheat Board’s longstanding single-desk marketing powers for western Canadian wheat, […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Slow demand limits upside potential for pulses

Dec. 7, 2011 at 1:22 pm CST

Canada grew a million fewer tonnes of peas in 2011 compared to the previous year, but the tighter supplies are still not enough to generate any strength in the sluggish market. Statistics Canada pegged the country’s 2011-12 pea production at 2.1 million tonnes in its latest report, released Tuesday. That […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Global economic woes keep canola trending lower

Nov. 23, 2011 at 5:28 pm CST

ICE Futures Canada canola contracts remained stuck in a steady downtrend Wednesday as the global economic uncertainty leading to speculative liquidation in many commodities spilled into grains and oilseeds as well. While the fundamentals remain relatively supportive for canola, the ongoing economic uncertainty will likely keep the path of least […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Wheat quality improved on year, but ergot a concern

Nov. 20, 2011 at 10:18 am CST

The quality of Western Canada’s wheat and barley crops saw considerable improvement this year, according to an analyst with the Canadian Wheat Board. However, of the wheat that failed to make the top grades there were more concerns with ergot, a toxic fungal disease. Before blending and seed cleaning, about […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Farmland demand solid in Western Canada

Nov. 9, 2011 at 5:27 am CST

Demand for farmland in Western Canada is running very strong, with real estate agents reporting difficulty finding enough willing sellers to meet that demand in the current climate. "We continue to have low supply and lots of demand," said Chris Classens of Signature Service Real Estate at Coaldale in southern […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin