Agriculture

Russian President Putin comments on possible Ukraine peace deal triggered early wheat selling. December CBOT wheat closed down 19.75 cents at $7.5425 per bushel. Soybeans recovered to finish higher while corn ended modestly lower. Read →

London cocoa slid 5.9 percent to £4,533 per metric ton after reaching a one-year high of £4,988 on Tuesday. New York cocoa fell to $6,181 per ton. Traders cited ample stockpiles cushioning expected Ivory Coast and Ghana production shortfalls. Read →

Arabica coffee fell 0.8 percent to $2.9560 per pound after hitting a five-week low of $2.8975. Robusta coffee dropped 1.2 percent. Stronger Brazilian exports and favorable weather for the next crop weighed on prices. Read →

Ghana’s state-run cocoa marketer forecasts 2026-27 output at 470,000-620,000 tons versus 760,000 tons prior year due to adverse weather and disease. The drop in the world’s No. 2 producer tightens global supply of the key chocolate ingredient amid already volatile prices. Read →

ICE raw sugar futures rose 1.9% to 18.70 cents/lb, reaching the highest level since April 2025 on tight Indian supplies, strong domestic prices and expected lower output in the EU and Thailand. Arabica coffee fell 3.7% to $2.981/lb on rising Brazilian exports as harvest nears completion, easing short-term supply concerns. Read →

Corn, soybean and wheat futures traded lower Wednesday after recent contract highs, pressured by a stronger US dollar and favorable US growing weather. Russia paused grain export duties through year-end while missile strikes hit Odesa port infrastructure overnight. Read →

US soybean futures reached their highest level since 2023 after the Trump administration’s renewable fuel exemption announcement proved more bullish than expected for biofuel demand. Soybeans serve as a key feedstock for biodiesel and other renewable fuels. The move lifted the soy complex and spilled over to support corn and wheat prices. Read →

November soybean futures jumped nearly 30 cents to $13.1775 after USDA crop progress data showed good-to-excellent ratings falling 2 points to 58%. A private export sale of 5 million bushels of new-crop soybeans to China added support. Corn and wheat futures also gained on technical buying and spillover strength. Read →

Chicago corn futures dropped as much as 1.8% on Wednesday, the largest intraday decline in nearly three weeks, as profit-taking hit after a multi-week rally. The pullback followed gains driven by Black Sea supply disruptions and heat-wave risks to output. Wheat and soybeans also retreated. Read →

November soybeans surged above $13 to new contract highs after USDA announced a 136,000 MT flash sale to China and crop ratings fell to 58% good-to-excellent. Corn and meal prices also advanced with Dec corn making new highs amid tightening global stocks outlook from lower EU and US production expectations. Read →

Chicago wheat futures edged up to hold at a one-week high, supported by dry weather in the US Plains and Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure. Soybeans inched down 0.1% to $10.65-1/2 per bushel as traders weighed Chinese US soy purchases against expectations of a record Brazil harvest; corn also ticked down 0.1%. Read →

Ivory Coast's main 2026/27 cocoa crop is delayed by 8-10 weeks due to difficult weather, poor farm maintenance and a strong mid-crop. Weekly arrivals are expected below 15,000 tons in September and 25,000 tons in October, with 900,000 tons forecast for October-December versus 1.1 million tons last year, raising risks of congestion at Abidjan and San Pedro ports ahead of EU deforestation rules. Read →

As of Aug. 30, US corn conditions held at a season-low 57% good-to-excellent, unchanged from the prior week and 12 points below last year, with 13% of the crop mature. Soybeans slipped 2 points to 58% good-to-excellent while 95% were setting pods and 13% dropping leaves, ahead of average pace. Read →

US spring wheat harvest reached 77% complete as of Aug. 30, eight points ahead of last year and nine points above the five-year average. The update came alongside steady corn conditions and slightly weaker soybean ratings in the final August crop progress report. Read →

USDA weekly export sales for the week ended Aug. 20 showed 2.48 million metric tons of new-crop soybeans sold, up from 1.72 million the prior week, with China taking 1.1 million tons. Corn sales reached 1.07 million metric tons and wheat 402,500 metric tons. Futures opened higher overnight with November soybeans up 6 cents to $12.74 per bushel. Read →

September corn settled at $5.12 per bushel, up 1.75 cents; September soybeans at $12.76, up nearly 20 cents; Chicago wheat at $7.67, up 24.25 cents. Wheat futures extended a multi-session rally amid ongoing Black Sea tensions. Read →

December corn reached $5.4125 per bushel intraday, the highest since July 2023, settling up 0.6% at $5.365. December wheat hit $7.90 intraday before settling at $7.84, a three-year high. Tighter U.S. corn supplies and Black Sea export disruptions drove the moves. Read →

Ukrainian strikes have shut down most Russian Black Sea grain terminals including all three at Novorossiysk, limiting August Russian wheat exports to around 1.8-2.5 million tons versus prior expectations near 4 million. Ukrainian ports also face severe constraints, removing roughly 30% of global wheat export capacity from the region. Read →

Chicago corn and wheat futures set multi-year highs Wednesday on lower US corn yield expectations from field tours and ongoing Black Sea export disruptions. Soybeans rose on continued Chinese buying. Corn reached levels not seen since July 2023 while wheat hit its highest in two years intraday. Read →

London cocoa futures rose 5.8% to £4,485 per tonne, reaching a three-week high, on expectations of a slow start to the Ivory Coast harvest. New York cocoa gained 5.9% to $6,173 per tonne. Arabica coffee fell 3.9% to 309.65 cents per pound amid a technical selloff and revised Brazilian export data. Read →

Corn futures reached three-year highs with September above $5 and December at $5.3650 per bushel on Pro Farmer Crop Tour's 173.2 bu/acre national yield estimate, 7.5 bu below USDA's 180.7 figure. Soybeans gained on a USDA-reported private export sale of 333,000 metric tons to China for 2026/27. Wheat also rallied on Black Sea supply risks from Russia-Ukraine tensions. Read →

Corn led a broad grains rally with September futures up 13.5 cents to $5.14/bushel and December up 13 cents to $5.3650. The move follows Pro Farmer's downgrade of U.S. corn yields and crop condition ratings falling to 57% good-to-excellent. Traders position ahead of Thursday's USDA export sales report expecting strong corn and soybean commitments. Read →

Private exporters reported sales of 333,000 metric tons of soybeans to China for the 2026/27 marketing year. This adds to prior unknown-destination sales of 132,000 metric tons, supporting soybean demand amid tight U.S. stocks and ahead of potential U.S.-China trade developments. Read →

December corn futures rose 1.6% to $5.23 1/2 per bushel Tuesday on the Chicago Board of Trade, extending a five-session rally. The Pro Farmer Crop Tour pegged national corn yield at 173.2 bushels per acre, below the USDA’s August estimate of 180.7, while Monday’s USDA crop progress report showed corn rated only 57% good-to-excellent, down 3 points week-over-week and 14 points year-over-year. Traders cited mounting concern over weather-related pollination and grain-fill problems in key states. Read →

December corn futures settled up 1.4% at $5.15 1/2 per bushel Monday, the highest close since July 2023, after the Pro Farmer Crop Tour released a national yield estimate of 173.2 bushels per acre. The tour figure, which scouts fields across seven states, came in 7.5 bushels below the USDA’s August WASDE projection of 180.7 and signaled weather damage in western and central regions. Soybean futures fell 1.2% as the tour’s soybean yield came in above the USDA number. Read →

USDA’s Aug. 24 Crop Progress report showed the U.S. corn crop rated 57% good-to-excellent as of Aug. 23, down from 60% the prior week and 71% a year earlier. Corn reached 86% in the dough stage and 45% dented, both ahead of five-year averages, while soybean conditions slipped 1 point to 60% good-to-excellent with 91% setting pods. The data reinforced concerns over late-season yield potential amid regional drought and flooding. Read →

December corn settled up 1.4% at $5.1550/bushel, a three-year closing high, after Pro Farmer's crop tour estimated 173.2 bu/acre national yield versus USDA's 180.7. The tour pegged production at 15.344 billion bushels, well below the August WASDE forecast, with weather issues cited in key states. Soybean tour results at 53.3 bu/acre were bearish for beans, which fell 1.2%. Read →

USDA's weekly Crop Progress report showed U.S. corn rated 57% good-to-excellent as of Aug. 23, down 3 points from the prior week and 14 points from last year. Soybeans slipped to 60% good-excellent; spring wheat harvest reached 62%, 10 points ahead of average. Cotton conditions fell 1 point to 37% good-excellent. Read →

Raw sugar on ICE fell 2.3% to 17.20 cents/lb after India’s mills association said supplies are fundamentally strong despite earlier import duty waiver talk. White sugar dropped 3% to $534.70/ton. The market had rallied sharply on prior tightness concerns but now prices in faster Brazilian harvest progress. Read →

Arabica futures gained 5.89% to settle at 341.65 cents/lb, the strongest in six weeks, as the delivery notice period opened with thin activity and certified stocks approached 26-year lows. Robusta was little changed amid rising inventories and mixed Vietnam/Indonesia crop signals. Read →

Chicago corn futures rose 2% to $5.18-3/4 a bushel, reaching the highest level since August 2023. Pro Farmer's post-tour estimate pegged the 2026 U.S. corn crop at 15.344 billion bushels with a 173.2 bu/acre yield, well below the USDA's August forecast of 180.7 bu/acre after adverse summer weather. Wheat gained on Russia-Ukraine shipping attacks while soybeans eased but held support from export demand. Read →

December corn jumped 9.25 cents as Pro Farmer's Midwest tour estimated a 173.2 bu/acre national yield, far below USDA's 180.7. November soybeans fell 3.5 cents on the tour's record 53.3 bu/acre soybean outlook. Wheat rose on Black Sea export disruptions from ongoing Russia-Ukraine attacks. Read →

India's government lifted the prohibition on exports of wheat flour, maida, semolina, wholewheat atta and resultant atta effective immediately. The policy shift follows higher domestic stocks and softening prices. It allows freer global shipments of these wheat products. Read →

After scouting seven states, Pro Farmer set the national corn yield at 173.2 bushels per acre and production at 15.344 billion bushels. Soybean yield came in at 53.3 bu/acre for 4.572 billion bushels. The corn figure sits 7.5 bu below the USDA August estimate, highlighting weather stress impacts. Read →

Scouts sampled 216 corn fields averaging 199.01 bushels per acre, down from 202.86 bpa in 2025. Soybean pod counts averaged 1,257.80 in a 3x3 square versus 1,247.86 last year. Results add to evidence of softer U.S. yields ahead of USDA updates. Read →

431 corn samples averaged 193.98 bpa, down 4.45 bpa from 2025. Soybean pod counts reached 1,362.93 per 3x3 square versus 1,384.38 last year. Tour data signals potential downside to USDA’s 180.7 bpa corn yield forecast. Read →

Weekly export sales for the week ended Aug 13 included 66.4 million bushels of soybeans and 41.3 million bushels of corn. New-crop soybean sales reached 63.3 million bushels. Wheat sales rose 54% week-over-week to 14.5 million bushels. Read →

December corn futures rose 5.5 cents to $5.035 per bushel on below-average Pro Farmer yields and warm forecasts. November soybeans eased 0.75 cents to $12.365 after profit-taking. Wheat held firm amid Russia-Ukraine tensions. Read →

Corn futures hit $5 per bushel for the first time in 18 months after Pro Farmer Crop Tour results showed yields in top states Iowa and Illinois below last year and the three-year average. The findings add to supply concerns following USDA's August yield cut and reinforce tight balances from record export pace. Read →

USDA added 1.4 million soybean acres in its August Crop Production report and cut yield to 52.7 bushels per acre. Record crush demand of 2.78 billion bushels and rising exports to 1.66 billion bushels keep supplies tight with a 7% stocks-to-use ratio. Read →

USDA data show corn export inspections at 1.91 million metric tons for the week ending Aug. 13, up 81% year-over-year. Cumulative shipments since Sept. 1 reached nearly 81 million tons, 26% above last year, while soybeans and wheat mixed. Read →

The ERS model forecasts use futures prices and NASS data for season-average prices on corn, soybeans, wheat and upland cotton. The update incorporates latest supply and demand revisions from the August WASDE and Crop Production reports. Read →

Chicago soybean futures rose for a third session on weather and crop data raising Midwest yield concerns. The most-active contract hit $12.24-1/2 per bushel, supported by firm crude oil and Chinese demand. Wheat held steady amid Black Sea supply disruptions. Read →

Argentina shipped a record 5.14 million metric tons of corn in July, the Rosario grains exchange reported. The bumper 2025/26 crop is now estimated at 70.5 million tons despite wet weather delaying harvest, which was 89% complete. This strengthens Argentina as a key global supplier ahead of Northern Hemisphere harvests. Read →

US sugar futures climbed above 17 cents per pound, the highest since May 2025, up 3.56% on the day. Gains stem from worsening global supply deficits and unfavorable weather in key producers. Coffee also rose sharply to 332.45 USd/Lbs. Read →

Scouts on the 2026 Pro Farmer Crop Tour measured South Dakota corn yield potential at 149.09 bu/acre, down 14.4% from 2025. Soybean pod counts averaged 945.98 per 3x3 square, down 20.4% year-over-year. The tour continues across the Corn Belt amid mixed conditions. Read →

Scouts in Ohio reported average corn yields of 170-183 bu/acre with excess moisture and mud; South Dakota averaged 124.8 bu/acre with heat stress and pollination issues. Soybean futures jumped 20 cents to above $12 on wet-weather worries and China demand. The tour provides the first wide-scale field look at 2026 production potential across seven states. Read →

USDA's Aug. 17 Crop Progress report showed national corn good/excellent ratings at 60% (down from 61% prior week and 71% last year) and soybeans at 61% (down from 62% and 68%). Corn reached 29% dent stage ahead of average; soybeans 85% pod setting. Declines occurred despite development meeting or exceeding averages in major states. Read →

November soybean futures rose on increased U.S. demand expectations and China purchasing hopes. Pro Farmer Crop Tour highlighted smaller corn ears and pollination issues in some areas, shifting focus to crop quality. Wheat futures stayed mixed with Black Sea tensions adding support. Read →

November soybeans gained 4 cents to $11.96½ overnight on a streak of export sales and geopolitical tensions. December corn added 1 cent to $4.84¼. Speculators cut net long positions in both commodities per recent CFTC data. Read →

Chicago wheat futures closed up 22 cents at $6.74 3/4 per bushel. Corn rose 11 cents to $4.59 and soybeans gained 11 3/4 cents to $11.77 3/4. Wheat led the rally amid ongoing Black Sea tensions. Read →

USDA cut 2026/27 U.S. wheat production to 1.531 billion bushels and ending stocks to 717 million bushels. Overnight wheat futures rose 14 cents and corn added 4.5 cents as Ukraine struck Russian Black Sea grain terminals in Novorossiysk. Read →

Wheat traded around $6.70 per bushel, its highest level since July 24. Escalating tensions in the Black Sea continue to support prices. Read →

USDA pegged 2026/27 U.S. corn yield at 180.7 bushels per acre, down from 183 in July and below the 182.5 bpa analyst average. December corn futures rose to a near three-week high after the report. Lower yields signal tighter stocks even as production stays near record levels. Read →

USDA raised corn exports 75 million bushels to 3.3 billion while cutting ending stocks 137 million bushels to 1.7 billion. Wheat production fell 5 million bushels and ending stocks dropped to 717 million. Soybean production rose to 4.5 billion bushels on added acres. Read →

Private exporters reported sales of 4.6 million bushels of soybeans to China for 2026/27 delivery. The sale supports soybean demand amid the new-crop outlook. Weekly export reports continue to show China as a buyer of U.S. beans. Read →

USDA set 2026 U.S. corn yield at 180.7 bushels per acre, down 2.3 from July and below the 182.4 analyst average. Soybean yield fell to 52.7 bushels per acre. Production rose to 16.013 billion bushels for corn and a record 4.519 billion for soybeans due to higher planted acres. December corn futures climbed 12 cents to $4.7250 per bushel; November soybeans gained 4.25 cents. Ending stocks tightened for corn. Read →

USDA increased 2026 corn planted acres by 1.4 million to 96.7 million and production to 16.013 billion bushels despite a 2.3-bushel yield cut. Soybean planted acres rose 1.4 million to 86.8 million for a record 4.519 billion bushel crop. Corn 2026-27 ending stocks fell to 1.653 billion bushels. Wheat production edged lower to 1.531 billion bushels with ending stocks at 717 million bushels. Read →

Russian strikes on Ukrainian Black Sea ports and vessels cut grain exports 75% year-over-year in early August. Wheat harvest peaks while storage fills and corn harvest nears; domestic prices fell below production costs. Ukraine supplies 6% of world wheat and 11% of corn; farmers warn of sowing shortfalls and potential food issues in import-dependent regions without export revenue. Read →

Private exporters reported sales of 136,000 metric tons of soybeans for 2026/27 delivery to China plus 180,000 MT soybean cake and meal to the Philippines. The announcement adds to recent China purchases and supports new-crop soybean demand ahead of the August USDA report. Read →

Reuters poll shows expected corn yield at 182.4 bu/acre, 0.6 bu below July, with soybean yield at 52.9 bu/acre. Good-to-excellent ratings sit 11% below last year for corn and 6% lower for soybeans, while demand strength and acreage adjustments remain key variables for the Aug. 12 report. Read →

The reports at 11 a.m. CDT Wednesday will deliver the first NASS-based yield estimates for the 2026/27 corn and soybean crops. Analysts note Ukraine corn export cuts and strong old-crop demand as factors that could tighten U.S. balance sheets. Read →

Private exporters reported 238,000 MT of 2026/27 soybeans sold to China in the week ending Aug. 7, continuing a string of purchases. Mexico took 286k MT corn across marketing years, underscoring robust export flows into the key August supply-demand update. Read →

Ukraine's agriculture minister lowered the 2026/27 export target to 38-40 million tons from 43 million tons after Russian attacks halted shipments from Odesa ports. The cut covers wheat, corn and barley and risks an 11 million ton storage shortfall. Reduced Black Sea flows tighten global grain supplies ahead of the northern hemisphere harvest. Read →

Ukraine seeks a rail corridor through Moldova to Romania's Constanța port with a proposed 50% freight discount to bypass Black Sea disruptions. The route could handle up to 4.5 million tons annually or 10% of exports. Talks focus on volumes and timelines as attacks continue on Odesa terminals. Read →

Corn futures climbed 0.09% to 438.63 US cents per bushel on higher crude oil prices lifting biofuel feedstock demand. StoneX projects the 2026 US harvest at 16.16 billion bushels while USDA lowered good-to-excellent ratings for a third straight week. Abundant supplies and Black Sea export expectations capped gains. Read →

Chinese state firms bought at least 13 more US soybean cargoes, roughly 800,000 tons, on Wednesday. Total 2026-27 season purchases reach about 6 million tons toward the annual pledge. The buying supports US soybean futures and export commitments amid lower prices. Read →

Chinese state trading companies purchased 14-16 cargoes totaling about 1 million tons of US soybeans for October-November shipment. USDA later confirmed nearly 500,000 tons sold to China. Purchases at premiums over futures buoy new-crop soybean demand and prices. Read →

USDA weekly export sales for the week ending July 30 showed solid new-crop corn and soybean volumes despite old-crop lows. Physical shipments of corn and wheat exceeded USDA pace needs. Strong commercial buying provides support ahead of the August WASDE. Read →