Crop estimates for Argentina, Brazil corn and soybeans – Reuters

USDA will release its U.S. and world supply and demand reports on March 9 and participants in a Reuters’ poll mostly expect unchanged to slightly higher corn and soybean numbers for Argentina and Brazil.

For Argentina, the average corn estimate was 27.23 million metric tons and the soybean average was 58.85 million, compared with USDA’s February numbers of 27 million and 58.50 million.

For Brazil, the average corn estimate was 84.5 million and the soybean average was 100.13 million, compared with USDA’s February numbers of 84 million and 100 million.

A drought may wipe out half of Morocco's wheat crop.

Farm Futures expects 27 million corn and 59 million soybeans in Argentina and 84 million and 100 million in Brazil.

Smaller Ukraine wheat harvest forecast – Reuters

Ukraine's wheat harvest this year is expected be down about 20% from a year ago at 19 million to 20 million metric tons as dry weather at the time of planting takes a toll on yields, an agricultural broker said in a Reuters story.

The expected smaller crop was attributed to a severe drought last year in about half of Ukraine's grain region that caused farmers to halt planting of winter grain. The key grains and oilseed supplier from the Black Sea region could also see lower rapeseed output, Viktor Korobko, director general of Ukraine-based broker Veles-Agro, said in the story.

Ukraine harvests wheat in July and August.

Moroccans pray for rain to save wheat – Bloomberg

A drought may wipe out about half of Morocco’s wheat crop. The losses have worried the nation and in January prompted the King to call on the nation to pray for rain.

A Bloomberg story this week said King Mohammed VI led the country in national rain prayers in January. But so far it has not helped.

Rain did fall for 10 days in February, but more is needed. Total precipitation has been 77% below normal, according to USDA data.

The country may harvest 3.72 million metric tons of wheat this year, about 54% below normal, according to a Bloomberg survey.

Wheat is an important crop in Morocco, with the population consuming about three times the global average.