Preparation for paddy, maize procurement begins in State.

Government of Chhattisgarh in Kharif season 2018 would commence its paddy and maize procurement at minimum support price through Primary Agriculture Credit Cooperative Committees from Foundation Day of State, November 1. Food and Civil Supplies officers intimated that in state under 1,333 primary committees 1998 procurement centres have been made and target of 75 lakh MT paddy is expected in current year. With increase in production of Maize the target has been kept as 40,000 tonnes is likely to be procured from farmers.

Govt approves moong procurement at MSP in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu.

The government has approved the procurement of moong sown in 2018-19 (Jul-Jun) kharif season at minimum support price of 6,975 rupees per 100 kg from farmers in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The state governments have sought approval for procurement of green gram (moong) at minimum support price under the price support scheme. The Centre has approved the procurement of 23,000 tn of moong in Karnataka and around 5,000 tn in Tamil Nadu in this kharif marketing season beginning October when arrivals commence in full swing. Higher arrivals and hopes of a bumper crop this year are expected to further weigh on the prices. The move comes in the wake of high domestic supplies due to a bumper pulses, including moong, output in 2017-18 (Jul-Jun) and hopes of higher crop this year as well.

Kharif urad acreage 4 mln ha, down 9% on year.

Farmers in the country have sown urad across 4.04 mln ha this kharif season, down 9% on year. Urad acreage this kharif season is already well above the five-year average of 3.14 mln ha for the corresponding period. In Madhya Pradesh, the largest grower of urad, acreage was down 7.7% on year at 1.65 mln ha as farmers shifted to paddy and soybean for lucrative returns. Harvesting of urad has begun in some parts of Madhya Pradesh and fresh arrivals are entering the market. Madhya Pradesh’s urad output in 2018-19 is estimated at 1.73 mln tn, down 1.1% from last year.

Egypt’s GASC buys 180,000 T and 295,000 T wheat shipments.

Egypt’s state grains buyer GASC has bought 180,000 tonnes of wheat for shipment over Nov. 1-10 and a further 295,000 tonnes for shipment over Nov. 11-20. All of the wheat was Russian, apart from one 60,000 tonne cargo of Ukrainian wheat. For shipment Nov. 1-10 60,000 tonnes of Russian wheat from GTCS at $226 free on board (FOB) and $17.10 freight, equating to $243.10 cost and freight (C&F). 60,000 tonnes of Ukrainian wheat from Louis Dreyfus at $227.73 FOB and $16.87 freight, equating to $244.60 C&F.

Serbia’s 2018 wheat output rises 29.3%.

Serbia’s 2018 wheat output rose 29.3% on the year to 2.942 million tonnes. The harvested area increased to 648,083 hectares in 2018, from 557,702 ha last year. Maize production is seen at 6.965 million tonnes in 2018, up 73.3% over the previous year.

Chana down in Bikaner on low demand from millers.

Prices of chana declined in the key market of Bikaner due to subdued demand from dal millers. In Bikaner, chana was sold at 4,000 rupees per 100 kg, down 50 rupees. In the benchmark market of Delhi, however, the pulse was at 4,225-4,250 rupees per 100 kg and arrivals were at 375 tn.

DEC 18 Corn closed at $3.60 1/2, up 3 1/4 cents

Corn futures saw 2 to 3 1/4 cent gains in most front months. Export Inspections report from the USDA showed 1.263 MMT in corn shipments during the week of September 20. That was up 21.95% from the week prior and 61.97% larger than the same time last year. 72% of the US corn crop was mature as of 9/23 (avg. 53%), with harvest listed as 16% complete (avg. 11%).

Farm min source says ’18-19 kharif rice output seen at 99-100 mln tn.

India is likely to produce a record 99-100 mln tn of rice in the 2018-19 (Jul-Jun) kharif season, up from 97.5 mln tn the previous year despite patchy rains. The government is likely to soon release its first advance kharif crop output estimates for 2018-19. Area under the crop has risen this year and weather is largely favourable. It is expected to boost the yield of the crop. Farmers across the country had sown paddy over 38.6 mln ha, up 2.4% from a year ago. While leading producer Uttar Pradesh saw a marginal fall in acreage from the previous year, key growers Punjab, West Bengal, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Haryana saw an increase.

Chana up in Delhi on improved demand from millers.

Prices of chana rose in Delhi because of improved demand from dal millers. In Delhi, the benchmark market for the commodity, chana was sold at 4,250 rupees per 100 kg, up by 25-50 rupees. Restricted sales of the government’s procured inventory also supported prices. In Bikaner, a key market, prices were steady at 4,015 rupees per 100 kg.

Kharif maize area unch on year at 7.9 mln ha.

Area under kharif maize in India was just 0.1% lower on year at 7.9 mln ha. Maize acreage in the country was higher than the normal area of 7.4 mln ha for the season, which is based on the average of last five years. Sowing was higher on year in key growing states of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana, while it was down in Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Haryana. Acreage was also higher in states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka, despite reports of armyworm pest attack in some pockets of these states. Announcement of higher minimum support price by the Centre for maize encouraged growers to bring more area under the coarse grain in top producing states. However, patchy distribution of monsoon rains led to a fall in acreage in some regions.

Madhya Pradesh 2018-19 chana acreage may rise 10% on year.

Chana acreage in Madhya Pradesh is likely to rise 10% on year in 2018-19 (Jul-Jun) as patchy monsoon rains may prompt farmers to shift from wheat. Area under chana in Madhya Pradesh, the largest producer of the pulse, was 3.6 mln ha a year ago. Rains were not good in most parts of the state and that’s why farmers are expected to shift to chana from wheat. Farmers are likely to shift to chana mainly in Malwa, Nimar, Narmadapuram and Mahakaushal regions of the state. If farmers switch to chana, production may also rise nearly 10% on year to 5.4 mln tn.

Barley down in Jaipur on low demand post 2-month high.

Prices of barley were down in Jaipur as demand from stockists was subdued after prices hit a two-month high of 1,610 rupees per 100 kg. In Jaipur, the benchmark market, the coarse grain was sold for 1,590 rupees per 100 kg, down 20 rupees. Concerns over quality of the stock restricted demand from the malt industry, which further weighed on prices. However, negligible supplies in the market and demand from the poultry feed sector cushioned the fall in prices.

Pace of Russia wheat harvest slows on delays in Siberia, Urals regions.

The pace of the wheat harvest in Russia is lower year on year as of September 20 after harvesting in the eastern regions of Siberia and the Urals got off to a late start due to delayed sowing and poor weather. This is in contrast to a month ago when an earlier-than-usual start to harvesting in the south of Russia because of favorable weather meant the pace of harvesting was quicker year on year. But that situation reversed as the harvest moved into eastern Russia, and Siberia and the Urals in particular, mainly producing spring crops. Late sowing and low temperatures during the development stage and rains in September resulted in delays to the harvest. As of September 20 the country had harvested 35 million ha, or 78% of the seeded area, from 37.7 million ha harvested a year ago. Total grains production amounted to 93 million mt at an average yield of 2.65 mt/ha, down 0.44 mt/ha from a year ago.

EU crop monitor trims maize.

The effects of a summer drought have continued to weigh on crops in the European Union despite less severe conditions in the past month. Persistent dryness, which has hurt crops and parched grasslands across northern Europe, also poses a risk for the rapeseed that has just been sown for next year’s harvest. Forecast of the EU’s 2018 grain maize yield to 7.49 tonnes per hectare (t/ha) from 7.57 t/ha estimated last month.