As Grandmother used to say, "If it's not one tham ding it's another".
Corn 369-0 down 1-4
Right now this stuff is just noise although Thursday's planting intentions report might get prices jumping around.
From Agrimoney:
US corn sowings, after a slow start, are expected to make better progress as they begin in the key Midwest region – but dryness-pressed winter wheat crops face more of the dryness worrying investors.The opening stages of the US corn planting period, in southern states, have been hampered by wetness which limited to 8% sowings progress in Arkansas as of Sunday, well below the typical 20% at this time of year, US Department of Agriculture data showed.
In Mississippi - where wetness curtailed seedings to 5%, compared with the average of 29% - one USDA scout reported that "abnormal amounts of rainfall continue to prevent producers from all fieldwork.
"Most corn planted prior to the excess rain will be replanted due to saturated conditions."
And in neighbouring Louisiana, where "some fields are still under water" after receiving 7-10 inches of rain last week, 36% of corn is seeded, well behind the average of 60%.
'In full swing'
Texas is among the few states where farmers have kept on track with seedings, planting 38% of their corn as of Sunday, 1 point ahead of the typical pace.
However, growers in more northerly regions, including the key US Corn Belt region, look set for a better start, imminently, to their spring sowings programmes, thanks to more benign conditions.
Showers later this week "should further improve soil moisture in advance of corn/soybean planting", said weather service MDA, before warmer temperatures do their bit....MORE
