CIF/FOB Gulf Grain-Soybean barge bids ease, corn bids steady-lower

CHICAGO, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Basis bids for soybeans loaded on barges and delivered to U.S. Gulf Coast terminals eased on Monday, even as the supply of empty barges tightened and the recent multi-year highs in crop futures prices fueled a flurry of farmer sales, traders said.

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed exporters sold 159,000 metric tons of U.S. soybeans to unknown destinations for delivery in the 2026/27 marketing year.
• Water levels are starting to drop along parts of the Mississippi River, south of St. Louis, Missouri, which could force barges to carry lighter loads and drive up shipping prices just as the U.S. Midwest harvest heats up, two traders said.
• Some grain elevators have spent recent days packing up barges to their max-capacity and trying to move them before the water levels drop too low, they added.
• Meanwhile, fewer barges also have been arriving and emptying out of the Gulf ports, which means supplies of empty barges available are tightening ahead of harvest, too, the traders said.
• CIF soybean barges loaded in August traded at 103 cents over Chicago Board of Trade November SX26 futures. Loadings in October traded at 109 and 110 cents over CBOT November futures, while November loads traded at 119 cents over futures.
• CIF soybean basis bids for barges loaded in August were down 2 cents at about 103 cents over Chicago Board of Trade November futures. October barges were bid at 103 cents over futures, steady from Friday.
• FOB basis offers were about 125 cents over futures for soybeans loaded in early September and late September.
• For corn, CIF basis bids for barges loaded in August were steady at 82 cents a bushel over CBOT September CU26 futures. Basis bids for September barges eased 3 cents to about 89 cents over futures.
• FOB corn export premiums eased for shipments in September, with offers at around 111 cents over futures for shipments in late September, down 1 cent.