Archive for 2015

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, U.S. — Any future deregulation and commercialization of bioengineered/genetically modified wheat in the U.S. would pose questions.

Might yield and disease-resistant traits lead more farmers to choose wheat? Could industry influence consumers about the safety and potential benefits of bioengineered wheat? Could U.S. companies avoid any tangled trade issues internationally?

Such questions were discussed March 3 in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., during a session at the American Society of Baking’s (ASB) BackingTech 2015.

There is little question that U.S. acreage for corn ...

ROME, ITALY — The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Food Price Index declined to a 55-month low in February, dropping 1% percent from January and 14% below its level a year earlier.

Lower prices for cereals, meat and especially sugar more than offset an increase in milk and palm oil prices.

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 179.4 points in February, down from 181.2 points in January and 208.6 points in February 2014.

Its ongoing decline — to its lowest level ...

BOURGOGNE, FRANCE — Axereal and Dijon Cereales announced on March 2 that they are combining their milling units Axiane and Dijon Cereales Meunerie, which will create France’s second largest miller.

Effective July 1, the joint company will produce 430,000 tonnes of flour at 10 mills and will have 600 employees.

“This combination truly makes sense, based on a combination of tenders and geographical areas,” said Philippe Guez, Axereal and Pierre Raynal, Dijon Grain. “It is beneficial and positive for milling customers of ...

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — GrainCorp said on Feb. 27 that it expects its earnings for 2015 to fall to a five-year low due to drought on the east coast of Australia that has curbed grain production.

The company said it expected earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of A$240 million to A$270 million ($187 million to $211 million) for the year that ends in June, as much as 18% below last year’s A$293 million.

GrainCorp Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer Mark ...

LONDON, ENGLAND — The forecast for total world grains production in 2014-15 increased 4 million tonnes to a record 2.006 billion tonnes in the latest International Grains Council (IGC) report released on Feb. 26.

All of the revision is absorbed by higher projected consumption, mainly in the feed and industrial use sectors, as demand is being stimulated by lower prices, the IGC said. The world carryover forecast is therefore little changed from before, at 431 million tonnes, a jump of 29 ...