US Durum acres

[begood]

Here is part of a Minot ND TV news story from today

"My thinking is we`re going to have a shortage of durum. That`s our thinking as a board,” said Doug Opland, Des Lacs Farmer and board member of U.S. Durum Growers Association.

It`s even worse for the durum industry. Durum is a specialty wheat grown mostly in northwest North Dakota used to make pasta. The durum association just had a meeting with European processors and buyers, and there is concern.

"We told them that. We told them they better buy their durum now and get it back, or there`s not going to be any,” said Opland.

Is there any in storage?

"There might be some, maybe, but Nick, there`s not a lot of it out there,” said Opland.

As far as consumers, canola oil and other canola-based products are already going up because of the lack of supply. Opland was told by European pasta processors that they think the price of pasta will remain stable unless the price of durum really jumps up. Opland believes as little as 25% of the intended durum was actually planted this year. "

[begood]

Now sometimes the writing on the wall is quite clear. There basically hasn't been a 2011 durum harvest yet. Western Canada traditionally has the majority of exportable durum supplies in the world; and Western Canada just didn't get the full durum crop in the ground. What is grown should almost certainly fetch prices that will put smiles on those who have any supply for all of the next 12 months at least.

But mainly because of the CWB; we'll again get a fraction of what the poorest marketer in the world could attain.

And because absolutely no one says it is a crime for an individual to make a profit on their work and production; there is a need to allow alternatives that will allow the chance for some real profits that only surface a few times in a lifetime.

[bucket]

So, maybe you could explain the 17 dollar asking price in Thunder bay and a shitty 12 dollar PRO?

If the cwb hadn't sold any new crop durum prior to seeding, it just can't make sense to have durum only worth 10 bucks for a final payment in december 2012.

They gave some durum 2011 crop away with out asking farmers. Insane.

I hope anyone with durum doesn't sign a contract with the cwb just to see how the board handles the sales they have made. Maybe burbert and agstar can fill the boats.

What is the initial price of durum for the new crop?

Does anyone from the board give a shit or are they just worried about a useless plebiscite?

[begood]

And this is getting farmer's a premium??All the CWB Lakehead price does is set a price for a "buyback" so that no one can get more than a shitty pooled price. No I can't explain any of the CWB marketing strategies EXCEPT they are masters at sucking up to their supporters by giving them and themselves special considerations and deals that are denied to the general ranks of farmers.

[bucket]

I thought I was the only one that thought the cwb board takes care of itself and friends first, then farmers are 3rd or 4th on the list.

If they were honest about a premium they would let all farmers move their grain into new crop instead of a select few that knew the cwb would change the delivery on durum GDC 4.

Its the least they could do for forcing farmers to store durum for two years.

I can't pick the pricing year, the delivery year etc., but the cwb is fair to farmers? Even the graincos are not allowed to hold a contract delivery for two years like the cwb.