US Cash Grains-Corn, soybean basis mostly steady-firmer as CBOT futures dip

CHICAGO, March 20 (Reuters) - Cash basis bids for corn and soybeans were mostly steady to firmer in the U.S. Midwest on Friday, dealers said, as Chicago Board of Trade futures contracts turned lower, discouraging farmer grain sales in the wake of this month's soaring rally.

• One exception was at a river terminal near Savanna, Illinois, where basis for soybeans was down 5 cents per bushel - a sign of weaker export sales demand last week from exporters at the U.S. Gulf, one dealer said.

• Still, soy processors have been maintaining a steady production pace as margins have remained high and some facilities are preparing for scheduled shut-down periods this spring for routine maintenance, the dealer said.

• Chicago corn, soybean and wheat futures retreated on Friday, as the U.S. dollar regained ground - which can make exports less attractive to buyers. A drop in weekly U.S. export sales and forecasts of rain in dry U.S. wheat belts next week also curbed grain prices.

• CBOT benchmark May corn futures CK26 were down 3-3/4 cents at $4.66 a bushel in mid-morning trading Friday. CBOT May soybeans SK26 were down 4 cents at $11.64-1/2 a bushel. GRA/

NOTE:

0 = Option price

UNC = Unchanged

UNQ = Unquoted

NC = Not comparable

DP = Delayed price

N/A = Not available

F = January, H = March, K = May, N = July
Q = August, U = September, X = November, Z = December

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LINKS: 0#USCSHGRN-PM

For U.S. forward basis spreadsheets, please click:

CORN/BASIS, SOYA/BASIS, WHEAT/BASIS, MILO/BASIS

- CBOT corn report COR/

- CBOT soybean report SOY/C

- CBOT wheat report WHE/C

- U.S. grain barge freight values BG/US

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

- U.S. CIF/FOB Gulf Grain GRA/F