US Plains HRW Wheat-Spot basis bids mostly flat as harvest winds down

CHICAGO, July 15 (Reuters) - Spot basis bids for hard red winter wheat held mostly steady in the southern U.S. Plains on Tuesday as the harvest is nearing completion and farmers are locking away unsold grain as they await higher prices, merchants said.

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the winter wheat harvest in top producer Kansas was 93% finished as of Sunday, ahead of the five-year average for mid-July of 88%. The Texas and Oklahoma harvests were 90% and 94% complete, respectively, both slightly behind average.

• Grain merchants said incoming grain showed some signs of quality damage following recent rains, although the issues were not widespread.

• Protein premiums for railcar wheat shipped to and through Kansas City were unchanged for all protein grades. KCBT/SCA

• K.C. September hard red winter wheat futures KWU25 were down 1-1/4 cents near the close on Tuesday at $5.21-3/4 a bushel.

Basis values are quoted against futures in cts/bu:

NOTES:

H = March, K = May, N = July, U = September

Z = December; UNQ = Unquoted bids

0 = Sp Option price; NC = No comparison

* = No. 1 12% hard winter wheat, rail bids

** = Ordinary protein, rail bids

LINKS:

* K.C. HRW wheat protein scales KCBT/SCA

* U.S. weekly wheat crop progress US/WHE

* U.S. forward basis WHEAT/BASIS

* U.S. Midwest cash grain PM GRA/PM

* U.S. FOB Gulf Grain GRA/F