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Agriculture Roundup for Thursday October 29, 2020

Oct 29, 2020 | 10:04 AM

MELFORT, Sask. – India has extended the lower tariff period for lentils until the end of December.

India’s Ministry of Finance issued the notice just before the current Oct. 31 deadline.

The 11 per cent duty applies to lentil imports from all countries, except for the United States which remains at 33 per cent.

The reduced lentil duty was implemented in early June and continued until the end of August with traders expecting to see an increase in Canadian lentil exports to India in 2020.

The strong two-month performance of the wheat markets appears to be at an end.

Farmers enjoyed a price hike of over one dollar a bushel due to dry weather in Russia and the U.S. amid strong demand.

Pro-Market Communications president Errol Anderson said wheat prices have dropped 20 cents a bushel this week because of recent rain in the U.S. mid-west and Russia. He said it could translate into a drop of 25 to 30 cents a bushel.

Anderson said prices could re-bound in the February or March, depending on weather.

Anderson said canola prices have also taken a hit this week.

A former conservative agriculture minister has died.

Don Mazankowski served in many cabinet positions in the Progressive Conversative governments of Brian Mulroney and Joe Clark.

Mazankowski ran a car dealership in Vegreville, Alta. before running for federal office in 1968. This was the start of a 25-year career in Parliament.

Mazankowski died yesterday at the age of 85. A private memorial service is being planned.

alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @AliceMcF