CIF/FOB Gulf Grain-Corn, soybean barge bids hold steady to firm as river levels rise

CHICAGO, April 28 (Reuters) - Spot basis bids for corn and soybeans shipped by barge to U.S. Gulf Coast terminals were steady to slightly firmer on Tuesday, as freight costs remained elevated and rising river levels have prevented some terminals from loading barges, traders said.

• Chicago Board of Trade Cv1 settled 6-1/4 cents higher at$4.75-1/2 per bushel, while soybeans Sv1 settled 2-3/4 cents lower at $11.89-1/4 per bushel on a technical setback, but remained near a six-week high.

• Spot basis bids for soybeans delivered to U.S. Midwest elevators and processing plants were steady to higher on Tuesday on firm demand and lower futures prices, crop merchants said.

• China on Tuesday named Zhang Zhu as party chief of its ministry of agriculture and rural affairs, removing Han Jun from the post, according to a statement released on the ministry's website.

• Gulf FOB markets continued to be steady on export demand and U.S. farmers turning their focus to spring planting, dealers said.

• CIF Gulf corn barges loaded in April were bid at 97 cents over CBOT May CK26 futures, while May barge loadings were bid at 95 cents over futures - both steady from Monday.

• Gulf corn barges loaded in May traded at 95 cents over futures.

• FOB corn vessels loaded at the Gulf in June were offered at around 100 cents over CBOT July CN26 futures, steady from Monday.

• For soybeans, CIF Gulf barges loaded in April had no bids, while May loadings were bid at 98 cents over CBOT May SK26 soybean futures - up 2 cents.

• Gulf barges loaded in May traded at 100 cents over May futures, June loadings traded at 85 cents over July SN26 soybean futures, July loadings traded at 88 cents over July futures, and September loadings traded at 76 cents over November SX26 soybean futures.

• FOB export premiums for June soybean vessels at the Gulf held steady at around 96 cents over July SN26 futures.

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