Sunflower harvest is largely finished up for the 2021 growing season across the country and remains mostly ahead of historical benchmarks as the season ends. In the past week nearby prices were mixed at down 50 cents to unchanged. with 2022 new crop down 30 cents to unchanged. In spite of the losses this week prices remain stronger than normal for this time of the year at the crush plants as reduced 2021 production and strong oil demand has crush plants looking for seed supplies. On the Chicago Board of Trade, Brazil competing strongly for China’s soybean business is causing concern among traders. Brazil is the top volume exporter to China and is looking at a record large crop again this year. Traders fear this will shorten the traditional U.S. export window and lead to waning demand from China. This has led to weakness across the CBoT soy complex. Given the potential of a record breaking South American soybean production, this bears watching as international trade would assume much of the impact and could affect new crop oilseed prices. Overall price direction will be determined by export demand news and South American oilseed production prospects in the near term. USDA will release its supply and demand report this week. Traders are anticipating that any significant changes to production, stocks and usage will come in the January report.

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