Kenya Projects to Import One Million Tons of Wheat in 2019
Hellenic Shipping News – 10/25/2019
Kenya is on course to import approximately one million tons of wheat in 2019, an increase of 4 percent from the previous year, the industry said. Anthony Kioko, CEO of Cereal Growers Association told Xinhua in Nairobi that local production will remain steady at about 350,000 tons.
“One of the drivers of the rising demand for wheat is urbanization which has resulted in a change in diet from the traditional staple of maize to wheat-based products such as bread,” Kioko said during a forum by the agricultural industry alliance on the country’s new pesticide legislation. He said that the country’s main source of imports is Russia and Ukraine but sometimes the United States and Canada. “The cereal millers prefer imports because they are cheaper as compared to locally produced wheat,” he added. According to the lobby, foreign wheat producers have an advantage over Kenya farmers because they receive subsidies from their governments.
Argentine Wheat Exports Under Pressure Amid Concerns Over Quality
S&P Global – 10/25/2019
The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange late Thursday warned of poor wheat quality in the southern region of Argentina amid inconsistent weather conditions across key wheat producing regions in the country, which could lead to a decline in production and export volumes. In its weekly report, the exchange said wheat crop in the Buenos Aires province remains in critical condition due to difficult weather. Buenos Aires is the largest wheat producing province in Argentina, followed by Cordoba and Santa Fe. Argentina’s central and southern regions have been facing dry weather conditions over the last two to three months, a critical period for the wheat crop. This has resulted in yield losses of around 10%-40% in some areas of Santa Fe, Buenos Aires and Cordoba, according to the Rosario Board of Trade. For the 2019-20 marketing season (December-November), the Rosario Board of Trade recently slashed Argentina’s wheat production estimate to 20 million mt from a previous estimate of 21.5 million mt. The Buenos Aires Grain Exchange, too, cut its estimate, to 19.8 million mt from 21 million mt previously.
China to Ask U.S. To Remove Tariffs in Exchange for Ag Buys
Reuters– 10/25/2019
Top U.S. and Chinese trade officials will discuss plans on Friday for China to buy more U.S. farm products, but in return, Beijing will request cancellation of some planned and existing U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, people briefed on the talks told Reuters. Robert Lighthizer, the United States Trade Representative, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He will speak by telephone Friday, their latest attempt to calm a nearly 16-month trade war that is roiling financial markets, disrupting supply chains and slowing global economic growth. The two sides are working to try to agree on a text for a “Phase 1” trade agreement announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Oct. 11, in time for him to sign it with China’s President Xi Jinping next month at a summit in Chile. So far, Trump has only agreed to cancel an Oct. 15 increase in tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods as part of understandings reached on agricultural purchases, increased access to China’s financial services markets, improved protections for intellectual property rights and a currency pact.
Nebraska Wheat Benefits from Recent Rain and Snowfall
KTIC Radio – 10/24/2019
The USDA recently reported hard red winter wheat could have difficulties with establishment in areas of Colorado, Kansas and the Panhandle of Oklahoma with dry conditions. In Nebraska where most of the winter wheat has been planted, fall rains and snow have helped with the establishment.
“In western Nebraska, most of the wheat is planted, has come up and is off to a pretty good start,” said Royce Schaneman executive director of the Nebraska Wheat Board. “In the east, we’re still waiting for the fall harvest crops to get out of the fields before we are done planting wheat.” It is still too early to have any numbers on wheat acres planted but in southwest Nebraska, there is rumor more acres have been planted. “From reports we’ve gotten from around the state it looks like we’re going to be steady, which would be right around a million acres,” he said. “We’d be happy to maintain acres if there’s a slight uptick in acres we’d love it.”
November is National Bread Month
Kansas Wheat Commission – 10/24/2019
November is a great time for pumpkin spice and everything nice, but it’s also the perfect time to celebrate National Bread Month. The wheat that Kansas grows is exceptionally adept at creating tasty, homemade bread, so be sure to celebrate this homegrown holiday. One bushel of Kansas wheat can produce 90 loaves of whole wheat bread. In 2019, one acre could feed a family of three for more than 14 years! Or that same acre could feed 15,600 people for one day. In fact, the entirety of the 2019 Kansas wheat harvest could produce over 30 BILLION loaves of bread, which would feed the entire world population for almost 10 days.
Source: U.S. Wheat Associates