South Africa Drought

[MBgrower]

The longer the market or grain cos can book their space and movement out the longer the prices stay in the shitter. ...

This summer when they couldn't fill trains the price rallied but they are booked with new grain now and the smell of new paint decals is so addictive for some producing videos of their farms the grain has to move.....and really at 50 bpa and 6.50 they are probably making money...

The dunb****led farmer....

pretty much sums it all up.

[burnt]

Gonna rain on this parade but this story is from last yea (2016).

South Afirca had a record maize crop this year, as did Zambia, which is just a bit north of S.A.

The Zambian maize crop was so big that they lifted export restrictions, leading to fears that the export price might be too attractive to turn down and lead to local shortages.

Much of the Zambian population lives on what they can grow on their plot of land, eating "nshima", ground maize cooked/boiled/fired in oil..., 3 times a day. So, having a sufficient supply of maize on hand is critical.

Somewhere I have a bunch of pictures of how the small-holders store their year's supply of maize in "cribs" outside their "houses".

It's a different world over there, my daughter has discovered as she works there as a nurse.

Can't upload the pictures for some reason. Maybe it will prevent culture shock this way, lol!

[Hopalong]

Many of us in first world countries forget how lucky we are.
Going back to subsistence type farming is not likely to happen.
People here, including farmers, have never had it so good.

[burnt]

Many of us in first world countries forget how lucky we are.
Going back to subsistence type farming is not likely to happen.
People here, including farmers, have never had it so good.

You've obviously never heard of EMP.

It could happen.

And you're quite right - likely most of the world's population would trade problems with us.

[furrowtickler]

Agree very much hopalong , but it's the entire Ag industry in western Canada that has been the biggest benefactor by far.
It is good for us as farmers that everyone involved in Ag is doing well but the Ag Industry has become very very fat off us and has no mercy on those who had very poor crops .
Farms in those areas this year will have a much different opinion on how "lucky" we are .
I would say people in the Ag Industry here are by far the luckiest. I see both sides , and agree we as farmers are very fortunate here but we also breath life into 10,000's of thousands of jobs that third world country farmers don't or simply can't .
So ya we are are fortunate but so are many thousands of people who work in Ag related jobs .
Farmers in North America or any "first world country" create a tremendous amount of wealth for others .

[hobbyfrmr]

Agreed.
Buyers are encouraging farmers to sign a basis contract but your left exposed to the futures price risk. Well yeah, but, this ensures you a delivery spot at the terminal......and there is this canola seed invoice that needs attention, and fertilizer prices are going to up. This years flavour is phosphorous because the hurricaines in Florida have interrupted supply.
Rhetoric drives the regular market. As stated before FSU and Somebidy else had a record crop so the world is still awash in wheat.
Western canada is experiencing suprisingly good wheat yeilds with excellent quality and its dry. Your rewad for top effort is a lower price.
Thank you, and please come again!!

[bucket]

Grow more ....get less....

[Guest]

And then all of a sudden it will be ,"holy **** , theres no hrsw left with px " like in june

[Hopalong]

Agree sometimes there are problems with the way a free market causes us to missallocate resources and make poor production decisions but what is a better system?
Government regulation is good to a point but worse when overdone.
Most first world countries rely on market system economies that have one or two per cent of us growing the food for all.
Like many others, do not like the trend to ever larger operations but think farmer agreement to produce less is not the solution.