Insights and Stories of Phil Franz-Warkentin

Rising prices may encourage more oats acres

Apr. 7, 2011 at 12:43 pm CDT

Oats prices at both the Chicago Board of Trade and in Western Canada have rallied over the past week, which could help bring some more acres to the crop this spring. However, competition from other crops and weather issues at seeding time could still sway the market. After weather issues […]

U.S. export agency sees GM wheat as inevitable

Apr. 4, 2011 at 6:48 pm CDT

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Attention in ICE canola turns to weather

Mar. 30, 2011 at 6:11 pm CDT

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Soft ocean freight rates benefit grain exports

Mar. 24, 2011 at 1:28 pm CDT

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Higher oats bids needed to bring in acres

Mar. 17, 2011 at 5:45 pm CDT

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Corn, soy markets seen focusing soon on new-crop issues

Mar. 17, 2011 at 12:11 am CDT

Soybean and corn futures at the Chicago Board of Trade dropped sharply over the past week, as the earthquake, tsunami and resulting nuclear crisis in Japan triggered a speculative sell-off in the agricultural commodity markets. Concerns that Japanese demand for grains and oilseeds will back away in the near term, […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Japanese disaster stalls Canadian canola business

Mar. 14, 2011 at 8:03 pm CDT

Routine Canadian canola exports to Japan will likely be disrupted in the aftermath of the massive earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan March 11, according to market participants. With the potential for a nuclear meltdown now dominating the headlines the export situation to the country remains uncertain, but traders generally […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Yellow pea bids edging lower

Mar. 3, 2011 at 7:10 pm CST

Yellow pea bids in Western Canada have come off their highs over the past two weeks, as demand backs away at the stronger levels and major export customer India moves forward harvesting its own pulse crop. “Yellow pea bids from the line elevators have dropped by 75 to 80 cents […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Japan taking slightly lower-protein Canadian wheat

Feb. 18, 2011 at 11:03 am CST

Japan, a routine buyer of high-protein Canadian wheat, appears to have relaxed its protein requirements slightly in recent weeks in order to allow continued shipments of Canadian wheat. In late January, Canada missed out on Japan’s routine weekly tender due to a lack of available high protein wheat supplies, as […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin

Canola Cash Bids Drop, But Basis Should Tighten

Feb. 17, 2011 at 5:18 pm CST

Canola cash prices in Western Canada have fallen in sympathy with the futures market over the past week, but basis levels should tighten in once the futures market re-stabilizes, according to an analyst. “We’ve not really seen basis levels change a whole lot, yet,” said market analyst Jon Driedger, of […]

By Phil Franz-Warkentin