Grass and Legume Seed Market Update - March 3, 2009

From the Mar 5, 2009 Issue of the Grass and Legume Seed Market Update

Grass and Legume Seed Market Update Home

Note: prices provided are normally given as grower prices, quoted by processors to growers after cleaning and dockage. However, with quotes now not being offered by many companies, last quotes may be provided.

The grass and legume seed markets continue to crawl along at a very slow pace, with very few new orders coming in, and seed movement of seed consisting mainly of old sales. Packaging of seed is occurring in the US, with the processors and dealers down there gearing up for spring activity. However, end user inventories are already in place, and new buying will rely on “hand to mouth” purchases. The result so far has seen no new activity for local processors. The deteriorating American economy and recession has left this agriculture sector in a unknown state. The industry is hoping for the best but may have to expect the worst.

With no new buying, processors have basically quit quoting prices. Price quotes are last quotes or have been adjusted lower for slower movement. Creeping red fescue prices are expected to be around the 55 to 60 ¢/lb range, but until seed starts to move and new orders come in, no processor will commit to buying any new inventory.

The forage grass seed sector also remains quiet. Most prices are starting to be pressured due to a lack of demand. Smooth bromegrass quotes are in the 45 to 50 ¢/lb range. Certified Carlton in the 55-65 ¢/lb range. Meadow brome grass seed quotes continue to be strong, and even some sales, resulting in grower prices in the $1.50-$1.65/lb range. Common timothy quotes remain in the 40-50 ¢/lb mark. Certified Climax timothy is quoted at a 10 to 15 ¢/lb premium. The down-sizing of the North American beef cattle herd isn’t helping either.

On the legume side of thing, common alfalfa seed prices are in the $1.20 to $1.40/lb range, depending on the variety initially grown. Alsike clover quotes remain in the 40-50 ¢/lb range. Red clover continues to be strong, $1.00 to $1.15 + /lb, but seed movement here has also slowed. Sweet clover quotes are in the 40 to 50 ¢/lb range with limited demand.

This month should be a good indicator of spring movement and new sales. With the world economic crisis affecting all commodities, credit issues, and good end-user inventory levels, the grass and legume sector is not immune to the realities of the present economic climate. Everyone’s hoping business starts to pick up. We’ll see in the next couple of months.

Grass and Legume Seed Prices

Creeping Red Fescue Boreal
C R Fescue Smooth Brome grass Carlton Smooth Brome grass Meadow Brome grass Fleet Meadow Brome grass Timothy Climax Timothy Alfalfa Red Clover Alsike Clover Sweet Clover

Common #1 - Min 97% Pure, 85% Germ Cert #1 Common #1 Cert #1 Common #1 Cert #1 Common #1 Cert #1 Common #1 Common #1 Common #1 Common #1

Jan 8-07
45
47
110-115
140-145
120-130
150-160
20-25
40-45
90-95
65-70
25-30
25-30

Feb 2
45
45-47
110-120
130-135
120-125
150-155
20-30
40-45
90-95
65-75
25-35
20-30

Mar 2
45
45-52
115-130
135-140
120-150
150-160
20-25
45-50
90-95
65-75
25-35
20-30

April 2
46-47
47-50
130
155-160
160-165
185-190
25-30
45-55
90-100
65-75
25-30
20-25

May 4
48-50
50-55
120-130
150-160
160-165
180-190
25-30
45-55
90-100
65-75
25-30
20-25

May 28
46-47
49-52
120-130
150-160
160-165
180-190
25-30
45-50
90-105
65-75
25-30
20-25

June 22
45-46
47-50
120-130
150-160
160-165
180-190
30
45-50
90-105
65-75
25-30
20-25

July 13
45-46
47-50
120-130
150-160
160-165
180-190
30
45-50
90-105
65-75
25-30
20-25

Aug 13
42-45
45-50
100-130
150-160
150-165
170-190
25-30
45-50
100-110
65-75
25-30
25-30

Sept 7
45
50
100-130
150-160
150-165
170-190
25-30
45-55
105-110
65-80
25-35
25-30

Oct 3
45
50
110-130
150-160
150-165
170-190
25-35
45-55
105-115
65-80
25-35
25-30

Nov 7
45
55-60
110
140-155
150-165
180-195
25-35
50-55
120-125
70-80
25-30
25-30

Dec 5
45-46
60+
130
140-155
150-165
180-195
25-35
50-55
120-125
75-85
25-30
25-30

Dec 31
0.50
75
130-150
140-155
150-165
180-195
25-35
50-55
120-125
75-85
25-30
25-30

Feb 5-08
50
60
130-140
140-150
160-170
190
35+
55-60
120-130
85-100
35
25-30

Mar 11
52-55
60
130-140
140-150
160-170
190
35-40
55-60
120-130
85-100
35-37
25-30

Apr 1
55
60-70
130-140
140-150
160-170
190
35-40
55-60
120-130
85-100
35-37
25-30

May 6
60
65-75
120-135
140-150
160-170
170-190
45-50
55-65
115-130
85-100
23-40
25-30

June 3
62-65
70-75
120-130
130-145
160-170
170-190
50
60-65
100-120
85-100
35-45
30

July 8
62-65
65-70
100-120
110-120
150-160
170-190
50
60-65
100-125
85-100
35-45
30

Aug 5
65-68
80-90
85-110
110-120
150-160
170-190
50
65-70
100-125
85-100
35-45
30

Sept 2
65-68
80-85
55-65
65-70
150-170
170 -190
50-55
65-75
100-125
90-110
45-50
45-55

Sept 29
65
80
55-60
65-70
165-170
170-190
50
65-70
120-140
100-110
50-60
40-50

Nov 4
62-65
75-80
55-60
65-70
165-170
170-190
45-50
65-70
120-130
100-115
45-50
40-50

Dec 2
60-62
70-75
55-60
65-70
160-170
170-190
45-50
55-70
120-140
100-115
45-50
40-50

Jan 5-2009
60-62
65-75
45-60
60-70
160-170
170-190
40-50
50-65
120-150
110-125
40-50
35-50

Feb 3
55-60
65-75
45-60
60-70
160-165
170-190
40-45
50-65
120-150
115-125
40-50
35-50

Mar 3
50-60
60-70
45-55
55-65
155-165
170-180
40-50
55-60
120-140
105-115
40-50
35-50

Prices are quotes only, until actual orders come in, that's when firm pricing is established

- prices in ¢/lb

last updated: Mar 3-09

Prepared by David Wong, Market Specialist, Ag-Info Centre, Alberta Agriculture & Rural Development

For more information about the content of this document, contact David K. Wong.
This document is maintained by Brenda McLellan.
This information published to the web on March 5, 2009.