Winnipeg Commodity Exchange New Crop Commodity Price Trends

Throughout March, Oct 01 western barley prices have been trading at levels approximately $6.00/tonne above year-ago price levels. Oct 01 feed wheat prices are also trading at levels significantly above year-ago prices. Year-ago feed wheat futures prices for purposes of comparison have been adjusted (as explained below) to approximate the recent changes in the feed wheat contract.

During the month of March new crop flaxseed prices have remained near the contract highs set at the beginning of March and well above the levels seen a year ago. However, Nov 01 canola futures ended the month at near the same price levels seen a year ago.

On an adusted basis the Nov 01 canola-minus-flaxseed-spread has been trending down since the beginning of the year. On March 1, 2001 this spread reached a low of $9.50/tonne and since then has increased slightly to end the month at $16.70/tonne, compared to $43.70/tonne a year ago.

The Oct 01 feed-wheat-minus-western-barley-spread ended the month with feed wheat at a $10.00/tonne discount to barley, compared to a year ago when the approximate discount was about $16.00/tonne.