GRAINS-Soybeans slip on strong US crop tour pod counts; weekly gains intact

BEIJING, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Chicago soybean futures slipped on Friday, snapping a two-day gain, as strong pod counts from the Pro Farmer crop tour weighed on the market, although prices remained on track for a second straight weekly rise.

The most active soybean contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) Wv1 was down 0.05% at $10.55-4/8 per bushel, as of 0312 GMT.

On the final day of the Pro Farmer crop tour, scouts reported Iowa's corn yield potential and soybean pod counts at their highest levels in at least 22 years. Minnesota also posted its strongest readings for both crops over the same period.

The tour, which ended Thursday evening, covered more than 1,500 fields across seven major producing states.

Lack of Chinese demand for U.S. soybeans continues to pressure the market.

"Beans are more nuanced as the market knows there is big downside if the U.S. and China don't sort things out, but also disbelief that it won't be sorted out, so half the market is betting it will be ok and the other half is sitting on the fence," said Ole Houe of IKON Commodities in Sydney.

Corn Cv1 rose 0.18% to $4.12-4/8 a bushel, while wheat Wv1 fell 0.05% to $5.29-4/8 a bushel. Both were still set for weekly gains.

"Corn found some fresh export demand that helps stem the slide and provide some support," said Houe.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported weekly net wheat export sales of 722,900 tons, near the top of trade estimates.

Net new-crop soybean sales hit 2.05 million tons, well above expectations, while net corn sales reached 1.13 million tons, above the low end of forecasts.

Wheat markets remain pressured by ample global supply and rising Russian harvest estimates, though slow Russian exports and demand from Egypt and others have offered support.

"Wheat has realised that U.S. wheat is the cheapest in the world and EU/Black Sea wheat not giving chase yet, so no need to sell so cheaply," Houe said.