U.S. rice prices could be headed higher in 2017-18.

U.S. rice producers could see higher prices for their 2017 crops – and it not mainly because of the losses due to the flooding that occurred in portions of Arkansas, Louisiana and California in late April and early May. The long-grain rice price forecast is up about $1 per hundredweight – around $9.70 to $10.70.

1st purchase from Iraq comes in rice.

Iraq precedent-setting purchase of 30,000 MT of U.S. long grain milled rice comes after more than 16 months without any Iraqi purchases of U.S. rice. The 30,000 MT sale for July delivery was awarded to ADM, and comes almost a full year since the MOU was negotiated between the MOT and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

NCDEX coriander sinks to 4.5-year low as imports up.

Futures contracts of coriander on the NCDEX extended losses and hit a four-and-a-half-year low of 4,745 rupees per 100 kg because of a rise in cheap imports from Ukraine, Bulgaria and Russia. The most-active June contract traded at 4,770 rupees per 100 kg, down 3.2% from the previous settlement. At Kota, the benchmark market for the commodity, the Badami variety was quoted at 5,900 rupees per 100 kg, while the Eagle variety was sold at 6,200-6,400 rupees, both unchanged from previous close. Arrivals in Rajasthan were unchanged at 4,700 bags (1bag=40kg).

NCDEX cotton oilcake down on weak demand.

Futures contracts of cottonseed oilcake on NCDEX declined for the third straight day and hit a fresh 17-month low of 1,768 rupees per 100 kg due to tepid demand. Cheaper alternatives for cattle feed has hit demand for cottonseed oilcake. Weakness in cotton contracts on MCX also weighed on prices of cottonseed oilcake. The most active June contract of cottonseed oilcake on NCDEX was at 1,777 rupees per 100 kg, down 1.4% from previous close. In Akola, cottonseed oilcake sold for 1,975 rupees per 100 kg, down 10-20 rupees from previous close.

Indian coffee exports Jan 1-May 30.

The Coffee Board of India has finalised its crop estimate for 2015-16 at a record-high of 348,000 tonne, up from 327,000 tonne produced a year ago, but down from previous estimate of 350,000 tonne. The board has estimated the output for 2016-17 at 316,700 MT tonne, down 9% on year.

India Government wheat procurement grows 30% to reach 30 MT.

Wheat purchase has been close to 30 million tonne (MT) which is 6.8 MT more than the volume of grain purchased during the same period previous year. Punjab (11.6 MT), Haryana (7.4 MT) and Madhya Pradesh (6.7 MT) have purchased a major chunk of wheat since the procurement operations began on April 1. Only in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan the procurement operations are still going on while in the rest of key growing states, procurement operations have been completed.