CORN
- Corn is trading slightly higher this morning as the May contract prepares to go off the board today at nearly a 50-cent premium to July.
- The first deliveries against the May contract were made last night at 50,000 bushels delivered by ADM.
- Today’s WASDE may show small declines in export sales and ethanol production but could raise feed and residual usage.
- The USDA will likely have new crop ending stocks above 2 billion bushels and are expected to increase Brazilian production but lower Argentinian production.
SOYBEANS
- Soybeans are trading higher with soybean meal posting the biggest percentage gains but soybean oil moving higher as well thanks to slightly higher crude.
- Brazil’s soybean production is estimated at 154.8 mmt by CONAB vs previous estimates of 153.6 mmt. Analysts in a Bloomberg survey are expecting 155.1 mmt.
- Argentina’s soybean harvest is estimated at 51.6% complete with production estimates unchanged at 22.5 mmt.
- Despite falling crush margins, NOPA April US soybean crush was seen at 174.17 mb compared to 185.81 mb the previous month.
WHEAT
- Wheat is trading higher ahead of today’s WASDE report as trade worries about yield estimates the USDA may provide.
- Traders are expecting new crop ending stocks to be estimated at just over 600 mb which would leave a similar all wheat balance sheet to the one we have this year.
- The meetings between Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and the UN ended yesterday without an agreement to the continuation of the Black Sea grain deal which is supporting prices today.
- Argentina is trying to bring its genetically modified wheat to market and has been significantly expanding access to distributors in Argentina.