Archive for 2022

BERLIN, GERMANY — Severe water scarcity events are expected to impact up to 60% of the world’s wheat-growing areas by the end of the 21st century, according to a recently released strategy paper from the Wheat Initiative, a group of public and private entities engaged in wheat research.

The group’s second version of its vision paper, “An International Vision for Wheat Improvement,” included a section devoted to the impact of climate change on wheat production.

“Water is the single biggest factor in ...

UZWIL, SWITZERLAND — More than 1,000 decision makers from the food, feed and mobility sectors are in Uzwil, Switzerland, this week to participate in Bühler’s Networking Days.

The event, which is held every three years, highlights examples of companies that provide tangible impact on mitigating climate change, eradicating poverty, creating employment, protecting and restoring nature, and improving food security.

At the center of the many keynotes, panels, and technology demonstrations is the question: How can the industries represented at Networking Days enable ...

MOSCOW, RUSSIA — Russia’s 2022 wheat production forecast has been raised 0.6 million tonnes to a new record of 89.2 million tonnes on an improved outlook for the spring wheat harvest by agriculture consultancy Sovecon on June 21, Reuters reported.

Russia, the world’s largest wheat exporter, particularly to the Middle East and Africa, is expected to start harvesting its new wheat crop in the coming days. Andrey Sizov, head of Sovecon, said the next several weeks will provide initial yield numbers ...

WASHINGTON, DC, US – US President Joe Biden on June 14 said temporary grain silos would be constructed along the western borders of Ukraine to help the country, which was invaded by Russia in late February, export more grain.

During his address at a Philadelphia union convention, Biden said the United States planned to “work closely with our European partners to get 20 million tonnes of grain locked in Ukraine out onto the market to help bring down food prices. It ...

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, US — COVID-19 lockdowns and the invasion of Ukraine by Russia have created uncertainty across shipping trade lanes. Indeed, perhaps not since the Cold War have supply chain resilience and geopolitical turmoil loomed so large in global trade. The disruptions have arguably impacted the grain shipping trade more than any other, with grain prices and shipping costs soaring.

The war in Europe has resulted in Ukraine’s exports of wheat and other agricultural products being largely shut off from ...

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, US – What if tomorrow Russia pulled its troops out of Ukraine and declared an end to the ill-advised war it started on Feb. 24, allowing grain to again move freely out of Ukrainian ports? Would normalcy return to the grain markets? Would wheat and food prices retreat significantly from their historic highs? Would food insecurity that is plaguing a record number of people trend in a better direction?

Arvin DonleyArvin Donley
When the war finally ends, or ...

CAIRO, EGYPT — Egypt, the world’s biggest wheat importer, on June 2 made its largest wheat purchase since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February, according to a Reuters report.

The General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC), Egypt’s state grains buyer, said it purchased 465,000 tonnes of wheat in an international tender, including 175,000 tonnes from Russia, 240,000 tonnes from Romania and 50,000 tonnes from Bulgaria.

Traders told Reuters the cargoes were purchased at cost of $480 per tonne, an increase of ...

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — The European Union’s crop monitoring service on May 23 released a new report showing smaller projected yield for the 2022-23 wheat, barley and rapeseed crops because of a recent stretch of dry weather in parts of Europe.

The European Commission’s Joint Research Center Monitoring Agricultural Resources (MARS), in its monthly report, forecast soft wheat yield in the EU declining from 5.95 tonnes per hectare in April to 5.89 tph. If realized, this year’s yield would be 2.5% below ...