CIF/FOB Gulf Grain-Corn barge bids ease, soy bids mixed

CHICAGO, March 14 (Reuters) - Spot basis bids for corn shipped by barge to the U.S. Gulf Coast softened slightly on Friday as exporter demand cooled, offsetting an uptick in costs for barge freight this week, traders said.

Soybean barge bids were mixed while export premiums rose modestly.

The mid-Mississippi River reopened for navigation on Monday after its winter closure, boosting demand for empty barges, traders said. Barge freight values were inverted, with offers for empty barges available in March quoted at a premium to barges for April and May. BG/US

Fog stalled barge movement on the Mississippi River near the Gulf on Friday, and tornado watches were in effect Friday afternoon on portions of the lower and mid-Mississippi River.

CIF Gulf corn barges loaded in March were bid at 66 cents over Chicago Board of Trade May corn futures CK25, down 2 cents from Thursday.

FOB offers for corn shipped from the Gulf in April held steady at around 77 cents over CBOT May futures.

For soybeans, CIF soybean barges loaded in March traded at 80 cents over CBOT May SK25 soybean futures, up from Thursday's bid of 77 cents over futures, but were re-bid at around 75 cents, down 2 cents from Thursday. May soybean barges traded at 73 cents and 72 cents over May futures.

FOB export premiums for April soybean loadings were offered around 90 cents over May futures, up a penny from Thursday.

South Korean feed makers were noted buyers of corn on the global market for a second day on Friday, taking advantage of a 2.3% weekly slide in CBOT corn futures Cv1 this week. GRA/TEND

The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed private sales of 218,604 metric tons of U.S. corn and 20,000 tons of U.S. soyoil under its daily reporting rules, all to undisclosed destinations.

U.S. traders are looking ahead to the Midwest planting season. Most corn and soybeans are seeded in April and May, but traders cited reports of a few planters already rolling in Illinois. The USDA is scheduled to release its annual planting intentions report on March 31.

For displays of CIF basis, click on the codes in brackets:
U.S. CIF Gulf soybeans GRYM
U.S. CIF Gulf corn GRYN
U.S. CIF Gulf SRW wheat GRYO
U.S. CIF Gulf HRW wheat GRYP
For displays of FOB basis, please click on the following codes in brackets:
U.S. FOB Gulf corn GRZC
U.S. FOB Gulf soybeans GRZD
U.S. FOB Gulf SRW wheat GRZE
U.S. FOB Gulf HRW wheat GRZF

LINKS Corn prices page:   cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageid=corn-cash-market
Wheat prices page:  cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageid=wheat-cash-market
U.S. barge freight                  BG/US
U.S. export sales estimates         USDA/EST
U.S. grain export summary           GRA/U
Brazil soybean export prices        SYBS
Brazil corn export prices           SYBX
Argentina grain prices              GRA/ARG
Russia grain prices                 GRA/RU