(April 1): Grain prices fell in Chicago — reversing earlier gains — amid optimism that the war in the Middle East could be nearing an end. Oil prices — which have been one of the drivers of grain and oilseed prices lately — have pulled back in the last few days. Wheat slipped as much as 2.4%, the most in more than a week, and corn and soybeans also retreated. The war and effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have choked flows of fertilisers and fuel from the Middle East, raising input costs for farmers worldwide. The plantings' figures are likely to exacerbate risks to grain output worldwide.

Source: The Edge Markets April 01, 2026 08:19 UTC