As a result of maize prices increasing to import parity price levels and carcass prices declining due to the suspension of beef exports as a result of SA’s loss of its free Foot-and-mouth disease status, feedlots are near break-even cost levels.

Feeling like the pounds are starting to pile on? You aren’t alone, about 30% of Australian women aged 40 to 60 are obese, and another 30% are overweight but not yet obese.

Maize: Local maize prices moved slightly this week with white maize prices increasing by 0.4% and yellow maize prices decreasing by 0.2%.

Maize: Due to the severe rainfall conditions in the US; corn plantings are being delayed due to wet fields.

The price of US yellow corn increased by 7.4% compared to last week.

High levels of volatility are expected to remain in the US corn market for the rest of summer. In this week alone we saw prices see-saw with price increases one day and decreases the next day.

For the week the price of US Gulf yellow maize increased by only 0.05%. The reason for this increase in price being so slight is that the US corn market traded a bit lower on some days during the week.

The price for US yellow Gulf corn declined by 3.3% this week. The USDA crop progress report indicated that a larger than expected number of corn acres have been planted and that 94% of the corn crop has emerged.

Domestic cotton prices increased by 2.5%, following higher international cotton prices- South Africa.

Agri Trends- Imports of vegetable oils into South Africa reach a 7-year record.

Wheat harvesting under way in the Western Cape and yields are looking poor in some areas.