Canada & USA: Crop prospects reported as controversial this year

In North America crop prospects are controversial. On one hand “bin-buster crops of all grains and soybeans” are possible, on the other hand there is apprehension about heat and dryness through July and August, H. M. Gauger GmbH said in their latest report on July 3.

Corn and bean fields too are impacted by incessant rains in the northern Midwest, changing whole tracts of land into lakes.

Canada has planted 6.499 mln acres of barley vs. 5.766 last year. The yield forecast is lower, the expected crop 8.75 mln vs. 7.9 mln tonnes in 2017.

Canadian barley exports in Aug/May 17/18 were 1.73 mln tonnes, of which 1.573 mln to China. Export business has fallen still since a few months. The Canadian feed demand will absorb a large crop easily, the percentage of malting barley will only be known after harvest.

NASS/USDA announced a U.S. barley acreage of 2.55 mln acres, 2.7% larger than last year, but even 11.5% larger than an earlier forecast for this year’s crop. Was it the better world market or the threatening short supply for U.S. maltsters, which changed farmers‘ minds before planting?

15 July, 2018