Reports of Nepotism for UN's Ban Off Internet After Legal Threats by Ban's Son in Law

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 22 -- The son in law of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Siddarth Chatterjee, had used threats of legal action to force the removal from the Internet of comments that he may have gotten his promotion with the UN Office of Project Services in Copenhagen due to nepotism, Inner City Press has learned.

In preparing its exclusive August 14 article on nepotism at the UN and Ban's position on and in it, Inner City Press ran across an article in the Indian Star online, which cited Inner City Press' previous piece on Chatterjee's promotion with the UN in Iraq. Recently, that Indian Star article and comments were taken off the Internet -- following a threat from Chatterjee and then by his India-based lawyer. Click here for the now-empty page.

Free press advocates express concern at the threats, noting that in such matters "the cover-up is always worse that the crime," and demand that Ban Ki-moon rebuke and renounce them. But will it happen?

Here for the record, and as requested by press press advocates in several continents, are comments which were on the Indian Star page which Ban's son in law, not stopped and presumably encouraged by Ban, got removed from the Internet by legal intimidation:

(Replied: Saturday, May 02, 2009, 06:05 am EST)

Interesting indeed. Some of us have, until very recently, had the misfortune of being exposed to this man, in a professional sense, in Iraq. Spineless is a very appropriate term to use in describing this individual. There are more, but few are fit for publication. He is, indeed, a discredit to India, the Indian Army, and now the UN (where, incidentally, he has recently moved on significant promotion - despite already being totally over-promoted in the opinion of all that know, and have to work with, him). The recent recruitment of this man to the United Nations Office of Project Services in Copenhagen is yet another example of the ineptitude, nepotism and corruption which is so prevalent within the UN system, even at the highest levels (in this case, within UNOPS). But those in Baghdad are delighted that UNOPS has taken him away from Iraq all the same.

It is a shame. And it would appear people are still being fooled.

and Posted: Saturday, February 28, 2009, 06:34 am EST

SANDHAYA AGARWAL (India)

Siddharth Chatterjee is a spineless man .He could not even pass the staff exams in Indian Army ... IT IS A SHAME THAT United Nations... GET FOOLED

After the Indian Star article and its comments went offline, they still remained available in the cache of Google and other search engines. Ban's son in law's lawyers made more legal threats -- "this is round two of the Bans and Google," said one observer of plans by the UN to get Inner City Press removed from Google News, click here for the most recent -- to get it out of cache.

Now even that censorship of questions of nepotism within Ban's UN has been accomplished -- click here for the now empty cache page.

Siddarth Chatterjee a public figure, and thus his legal threats are spurious, even an abuse of process. He is the son in law of the UN Secretary General, he was awarded a job at the UN's D-2 level (see below. Now, after refusing to answer Inner City Press' repeated questions referred by Ban's Spokesperson's Office if Chatterjee is a D-2 or a D-1, UNOPS tells other journalists that he is a D-1, in order to forestall other media coverage. Will it work?

UN's top lawyer O'Brien and Ban Ki-moon, legal threats of son in law not shown

Most recently, UNOPS in Copenhagen has told a Nordic newspaper what Chatterjee is a D-1, without explaining that the post was described by UNOPS' deputy director, in writing, as a D-2 post:

From: Vitaly VANSHELBOIM
Sent: 03 March 2009 11:09
To: UNOPS - EMO
Subject: Welcome to the new mailgroup

As you know, yesterday EUO and MEO formally merged into a new regional office called EMO (Europe and the Middle East) based in Copenhagen...I will be acting Regional Director of EMO until we have recruited a “permanent” replacement. In response to our advertisement for the D-2 regional director job, we received some 130 applications. Five candidates were short-listed for interviews: four were interviewed last Friday and the last interview is scheduled for Thursday this week. We’d like to make a decision by mid-March.

So even assuming that, as in Iraq, the UN decided even if only belatedly to keep Mr. Chatterjee a level below the grade of the post they awarded him, that is only being done to discourage press coverage of nepotism.

Even this raises questions of whether Ban, who came into the UN system promising reform and to run things cleanly, is due to his relatives' promotions so paranoia and angry about questions of nepotism that he has a conflict of interest in dealing with charges of nepotism against others in the UN, for example his own envoy to the Congo Alan Doss -- click herefor that.

Inner City Press broke the story about Alan Doss asking the UN Development Program for "leeway," to bend hiring rules and give his daughter Rebecca Doss a job in UNDP's Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific leading to a "man bite man" incident which was the focus of other media's follow up coverage. After Inner City Press' story about Ban and nepotism early on August 14, Ban's Deputy Spokesperson wrote to Inner City Press that:

From: okabe@un.org
To: matthew.lee@innercitypress.com
Sent: 8/14/2009 7:57:02 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: your latest entry

What I said was that queries on the biting incident should be directed to the NY County DA Office.

On the allegations, we take the matter very seriously.

"The Secretary-General is aware of the situation. He has been assured that a thorough independent investigation is underway, He takes this matter very seriously, and expects to see a report upon his return to NY."

Ban Ki-Moon returned to New York from his South Korea vacation and delivered prepared remarks at a World Humanitarian Day event in the UN's visitors' lobby on August 19. He took no questions. On August 21, after waiting two days, Inner City Press asked Ms. Okabe if Ban had as he expected now received the report on nepotism, and what would he do about it?

Ms. Okabe answered that although Ban had returned to New York, he had gone on leave again. So finally, what will he do?

Footnotes: in the course of legally threatening the Indian newspaper -- but not U.S. based Inner City Press -- it was argued that the Indian Star report which triggered the two comments Chatterjee and Ban did not like was "based only on a blog." The response was that Inner City Press is better read, at least online, than the Indian newspaper they threatened.

On that, Reuters of August 21 reported that "U.N. officials also complain bitterly about the indefatigable bloggerMatthew Lee, whose website Inner City Press regularly accuses Ban and other U.N. officials of hypocrisy and failing to keep their promises to reform the United Nations and root out corruption." Later, a telling second phrase was added: "(Some U.N. officials accuse Lee of not always getting his facts right, but his blog has become unofficial required reading for U.N. staffers around the world.)"

Ironically, on August 20 a UN under secretary general approached Inner City Press about the anti-Ban memo by Norwegian deputy permanent representative Mona Juul, having "just read it on your blog." For all of Ms. Juul's criticism of Ban, from Myanmar to Sri Lanka to climate change, Juul missed the nepotism and family connection angle. Her husband Terje Roed Larsen works for Ban, as another of his Under Secretaries General who has refused to make any disclosure of his finance or to answer Inner City Press' questions about them.

This is run for the proposition that as well as being a nepotism cover up scandal, this is a story about new media. Ban and his son in law have lawyers threaten ill-read newspapers for daring to carry a report based on what they call the "blog" Inner City Press and two resulting comments. They urge what they view as "real" or mainstream media not to cover stories which are broken by Inner City Press -- which, for example, had the world exclusive, acknowledged on Associated Press and in Japan media amog others, of the final draft of the Security Council's North Korea sanctions.

Inner City Press, which writes more about Myanmar than other UN based correspondents, was never even told of the opportunity, given to others, to accompany and report on Ban's ultimately failed trip there. Some say that in all this, Ban is being ill-advised by those around him. The question remains: is this anachronistic media strategy of cover up, deployed by Team Ban, working? Watch this site.

UN boss 'passive leader, throws fits'

A SENIOR Norwegian diplomat has slammed Ban Ki-Moon as lacking leadership, ineffectual and prone to angry outbursts, a daily reported today, just two weeks ahead of the UN chief's visit to Oslo.

Mona Juul, the Norwegian ambassdor to the UN, sent a damning confidential letter to her ministry half-way through Mr Ban's mandate, in which she said he had "hardly shown any leadership,'' Aftenposten reported.

The newspaper, which obtained a copy of the letter, said Ms Juul also described Mr Ban as being "passive,'' especially in hotspots such as Sri Lanka, where a decades-long rebel insurgency was brought to an end by a bloody government offensive.

"At a time when solutions by the UN and multilateral agencies are more necessary than ever to resolve global conflicts, Ban and the UN are notable by their absence,'' she reportedly wrote.

The Norwegian foreign ministry has not commented on the report so far.

Ms Juul, who played a leading role in brokering the Oslo accords which led to a peace agreement being signed in 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation, said Mr Ban had been a "passive observer'' in Sri Lanka.

She said he had also displayed his weakness in the face of the global financial crisis, on environmental issues and the situation in Myanmar where opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been in detention for decades.

"Ban regularly throws a fit which even his most cool-headed and experienced collaborators have a problem in dealing with,'' she wrote.

The South Korean-born Mr Ban is due to visit Norway on August 31.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told the newspaper that Ban was a "worker'' and a good listener.

At WFP, Ethics Missing Amid Waste and Garage Scandals as Josette Travels the World, Food Program Whistleblowers Say

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, August 15 -- In the wake of the World Food Program's controversial shut down of its Rome headquarters for a "simulated food distribution" display for the spouses of G-8 leaders, reported on by Inner City Press and skipped by both Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni, more and more whistleblowers from within WFP have approached Inner City Press with their complaints.

Most center around what they call the excessive travel and waste of Executive Director Josette Sheeran, the cover-up of scandals by weak ethical controls and discipline by promotion out to the field, and use of WFP for political purposes, fancy junkets and receptions and a make-up post for UN insider Staffan de Mistura. Inner City Press has asked WFP about these, and has received some answers.

Here is a sample complaint received from within WFP, anonymous due to fear of retaliation, then some WFP responses:

Matthew, Your reporting on the "Disneyland" school feeding show for the G-8 spouses was excellent. And many, many people in WFP agreed with you and had real doubts about it. The tents have come down but there's been no word on whether the contributions have increased to pay for it, and to feed more hungry poor. You should however, be aware that many WFP workers did attend work that day, even though parking was very difficult and WFP is not well connected by public transport to the areas in Rome where most staffers live. There are WFP staff who do have principles.

At 8:20, those not involved with the event were told through the PA system to remain at their workstations until the event was over and coffee, tea and water was placed on tables by the elevators on each floor. In other words, the staff were not welcome. Maybe that's why they were "encouraged" to "work from home".

Many dedicated long-term WFP staff see the current regime as a joke. Around the time of the G-8 event, Josette was also slated to attend the Non-Aligned Movement First Ladies Group in exotic Sharm El Sheikh. Clearly she's into Wives Clubs, which is not where she should be. However, perhaps because of the embarrassment of the G-8 wives event, she canceled.

We interrupt this whistleblowing for WFP's response:

"Greg Barrow is on leave. Please find the following responses to your questions. Ms. Sheeran was invited to the event but due other commitments, did not attend. She was represented by Ms. Sheila Sisulu, WFP's Deputy Executive Director for Hunger Solutions, who delivered a keynote speech and met with the host of the NAM First Ladies conference, Mrs. Mubarak to discuss school feeding and nutrition."

The whistleblower continued:

Word is that in the second half of 2009, she will spend perhaps no more than three weeks in Rome. A lot of her time is in Washington and elsewhere in the US (are we feeding Americans now, or is she doing something else there?). And there is a trip to places like Australia (over a weekend, of course). So who is actually running the organization? How can she justify, even with annual leave, spending less than one eighth of her time at her desk? Money which could and should be spent on feeding people or on properly staffing key departments or systems is being blown on business class airfares for her and her accompanying delegations and on school-feeding conferences near the north Italian lakes when somewhere within driving distance from Rome would have done, to name a few.

There are stories of parties being held costing more than 100 Euro per head at fancy Roman villas, paid for by WFP and/or FAO for people who never even worked for either organization. 100 Euro can buy about 300kg of wheat. Instead of feeding/entertaining one fat cat for a night, that's a lot of children who could be served.

UN's Ban and WFP's Sheeran, similar travel, similar

Again, WFP had a different spin:

Ms. Sheeran's schedule for the rest of this year is still being finalized and will be adjusted as the year progresses depending on the most pressing needs and priorities. As the schedule stands today, she will be in Rome for a number of weeks. The role of a WFP Executive Director involves travel demands, which can often be sudden, such as a trip to Myanmar after the cyclone when WFP has an emergency response, or to donor countries to meet high level representatives. This fall, Ms. Sheeran's will make her first donor trip to Australia as part of a wider travel plan which includes WFP field operation visits. We believe you are referring to an official event co-hosted by WFP and FAO in honor of the departing President of IFAD, our sister UN agency in Rome.

But how much did it cost? At least on the Simulated Food Distribution Display for G-8 Spouses, WFP has finally given its own figure as to cost: 219,000 Euros. Click here for Inner City Press' counter calculations.

Inner City Press has asked, twice, about the new but we're told absent held of ethics, Joe Scalice, and whether notice was given of the vacancy externally or even internally. The post because open when Shuresh Sharma was moved to WFP's oversight office. From there, Inner City Press is told, an official was caught in a scandal in WFP's garage, then quickly exiled to the Sri Lanka IDP crisis. Inner City Press has asked:

What notice was given to internal candidates that they could apply? How many applied? Also, please comment on fraud case in Johannesburg starting next month and a whistleblower's statement that the individual "who headed it previously was very quickly sent out to the field when he was caught by the security guards in the underground executive car park in his car with a young lady, and they weren't discussing audit matters. So they may have had to fill it very quickly. I think it was done internally. Also, there has been an exodus from audit in the past year." Steffan de Mistura's post, did anyone previously hold it? or was it a new / made up post? Was the Executive Board consulted?

When the requested answers are received, they will be published on this site.

USDA: COTTON PROJECTIONS FOR 2009/10

COTTON:  The U.S. 2009/10 cotton forecasts are virtually  unchanged from last month, with slightly larger beginning  stocks offsetting marginally lower production.  Production is  lowered 43,000 bales, based on the National Agricultural  Statistics Service’s first crop survey of the season.  Harvested  acres are estimated at 7.8 million, reflecting abandonment of  14 percent, and the yield per harvested acre is estimated at  816 pounds.  Domestic mill use, exports, and ending stocks are  unchanged from last month.  The forecast range for the  marketing-year average price received by producers is  narrowed 1 cent on each end to 49 to 59 cents per pound.  The 2009/10 world cotton forecasts are also virtually  unchanged from last month.  Production is forecast at 105.9  million bales, reflecting an increase for China, offset by  reductions for Greece, Brazil, and Australia.  World trade is  raised marginally, due mainly to increases in imports by Turkey  and Vietnam.  World ending stocks of 57.5 million bales are  lowered by less than 1 percent. 

USDA: LIVESTOCK, POULTRY, AND DAIRY PROJECTIONS FOR 2009/10

LIVESTOCK, POULTRY, AND DAIRY:  Total U.S. red meat and  poultry production for 2009 is reduced as lower beef and  poultry output more than offset higher pork production.  The  July 1 Cattle report, which was released on July 24 indicated  lower cow numbers, a smaller calf crop, fewer cattle on feed,  and fewer cattle outside feedlots than last year, all implying  smaller feedlot placements through the balance of 2009 and  into 2010.  This also implies lower feedlot marketings and cattle  slaughter and hence lower beef production than forecast last  month.  Partly offsetting the lower beef production is higher  forecast pork production due to larger expected slaughter and  higher carcass weights in the third quarter of 2009.  Poultry  production is forecast slightly lower as fractionally higher  second quarter broiler production is more than offset by weaker  turkey production. Egg production for 2009 is reduced slightly.   Changes in the meat production forecast for 2010 reflect tighter  supplies of fed cattle due to smaller cattle feedlot placements  and lower cow slaughter.  There are no changes to forecast  pork and poultry production for 2010 as lower feed prices  provide some support to producers.  Egg production forecasts  are unchanged from last month.  Export forecasts for 2009 and 2010 are reduced largely  because of lower expected beef shipments.  Weak economic  growth in 2009 and tighter beef supplies for both 2009 and  2010 are expected to result in lower exports.  Broiler exports  are raised slightly but turkey export forecasts are reduced.   Pork forecasts are unchanged.  Price forecasts for cattle, hogs, and broilers are lowered for  2009.  Weak demand is pressuring prices.  Egg prices are  forecast slightly higher.  Prices for hogs and broilers are  lowered for 2010, but cattle prices are raised as tighter fed  cattle supplies support prices.  Egg and turkey price forecasts  are unchanged for 2010.    The milk production forecast is raised for 2009 and 2010 as the  reduction in cow numbers is slower than expected and growth  in output per cow is higher.  Fat and skim-solids basis imports  are raised as cheese imports have been stronger than  expected; the commercial export forecast for 2009 is adjusted  as higher exports in the first half are offset by lower second half  exports.  Exports for 2010 are lowered as higher domestic  prices and larger exportable supplies in competitor countries  limit export opportunities into 2010. CCC removals are adjusted  to reflect changes in support prices for cheese and nonfat dry  milk (NDM).  Cheese and NDM price forecasts are raised for  2009 as higher support prices and increased net removals  support domestic prices.  Forecast cheese and NDM prices for  2010 are lowered as higher forecast production and weaker  commercial exports increase domestic supplies.  Butter and  whey price forecasts are unchanged from last month.  Both  Class III and Class IV prices are forecast higher for 2009  reflecting higher forecast prices for cheese (Class III) and NDM  (Class IV).  Class price forecasts for 2010 are reduced as  cheese and NDM prices are lowered.  The all milk price is  forecast at $12.10 to $12.30 per cwt for 2009 and $14.65 to  $15.65 for 2010.

USDA: SUGAR PROJECTIONS FOR 2009/10

SUGAR:  Projected 2009/10 U.S. sugar supply is increased  350,000 short tons, raw value, from last month.  Sugar  production is increased 200,000 tons and beginning stocks are  increased 150,000 tons while imports are decreased 50,000  tons.  The increase in sugar production is based on higher- than-expected forecast production of U.S. sugarbeets and  Florida sugarcane, which more than offsets lower Louisiana  sugarcane.  The reduction in 2009/10 imports is due to  prospects for sharply higher world market prices increasing  shortfall in filling the tariff rate quota.  Estimated 2008/09 U.S. sugar supply is increased 250,000  tons, based on larger early harvest of 2009-crop sugarbeets  and continued strong imports from Mexico.  Sugar use is  increased 100,000 tons to reflect the refined portion of the  increase in imports from Mexico.

USDA: OILSEEDS PROJECTIONS FOR 2009/10

OILSEEDS:  U.S. oilseed production for 2009/10 is projected at  94.5 million tons, down 1.8 million from last month as lower  soybean and cottonseed production are only partly offset by  higher peanut production.  Soybean yields are forecast at 41.7  bushels per acre, 0.9 bushels below last month=s trend yield  projection, but 2.1 bushels above last year=s yield.  The first  survey-based forecast of U.S. soybean production is 3.2 billion  bushels, 61 million below the July projection, but 240 million  bushels above last year=s crop.  Soybean stocks are projected  at 210 million bushels, down 40 million from July as reduced  supplies are only partly offset by reduced crush and exports.   Soybean crush is reduced 10 million bushels to 1.67 billion due  to lower soybean meal exports.  Soybean exports are reduced  10 million bushels to 1.265 billion.  Lower U.S. soybean and  soybean meal exports are offset by increased shipments from  Argentina.  Soybean and product prices are all increased this month.  The  U.S. season-average soybean price for 2009/10 is projected at  $8.40 to $10.40, up 10 cents on both ends of the range.   Soybean meal prices are projected at $260 to $320 per short  ton, up $5.00 on both ends of the range.  Soybean oil prices  are projected at 32 to 36 cents per pound, up one cent on both  ends of the range.  Global oilseed production for 2009/10 is projected at 422.6  million tons, down 0.9 million tons from last month, but still  record high.  Soybean production for China is reduced 0.2  million tons to 15.4 million due to lower yield resulting from  excessive moisture in the northeast.  Offsetting increases are  projected for soybean production in EU-27 and Ukraine.  EU-27  rapeseed production is projected at a record 19.5 million tons,  up 1.2 million due to better-than-expected yields reported  during harvest, especially in Germany and Poland.  Other  changes include higher sunflowerseed production in EU-27,  lower peanut production for India, and a small reduction in  cottonseed production for Brazil.  U.S. changes for 2008/09 include increased soybean crush and  exports and an offsetting reduction in residual, leaving  projected ending stocks unchanged at 110 million bushels.   Crush is raised 5 million bushels to 1.66 billion reflecting a  small increase in domestic soybean meal disappearance.   Soybean exports are increased 5 million bushels to a record  1.265 billion.

USDA: RICE PROJECTIONS FOR 2009/10

RICE:  USDA's first survey-based forecast of the 2009/10 U.S.  rice crop is 211.2 million cwt, up slightly from last month's  projection, and up 7.4 million from 2008/09.  Average yield is  forecast at 7,039 pounds per acre, up 6 pounds per acre from  last month, and an increase of 193 pounds per acre from last  year.  Area harvested at 3.0 million acres is unchanged from a  month ago.  Long-grain production is forecast at 150.4 million  cwt, down 0.6 million from last month, while combined medium-  and short-grain production is forecast at 60.8 million cwt, up 0.8  million from a month ago.   All rice 2009/10 domestic and residual use and exports are  unchanged from last month. However, combined medium- and  short-grain exports are raised 2.0 million cwt to 28.0 million,  while long-grain exports are lowered the same amount to 71.0  million.  The rough rice export projection is raised 1.0 million  cwt to 35 million, while exports of milled and brown rice (on a  rough-equivalent basis) are lowered 1.0 million cwt to 64  million.  Ending stocks are projected at 23.9 million cwt, 1.2  million above last month and 5 percent above a year earlier.  The season-average farm price range for all rice in 2009/10 is  raised $0.40 per cwt on each end to $13.65 to $14.65 per cwt,  compared to a revised $16.25 per cwt for 2008/09.  The higher  U.S. price forecast is due to a larger share of U.S. marketings  of higher-priced medium-grain rice and an expected firming of  global prices due to tighter world supplies.  The long-grain  season-average farm price range for 2009/10 is projected at  $12.00 to $13.00 per cwt compared to a revised $14.90 per cwt  in 2008/09.  The combined medium- and short-grain farm price  range is projected at $19.50 to $20.50 per cwt, compared to a  revised $21.30 per cwt in 2008/09.  Projected global 2009/10 production, consumption, and ending  stocks are lowered from a month ago, while trade is nearly  unchanged.  World 2009/10 rice production is projected at  433.5 million tons, 15.5 million tons below last month, 11.4  million below the record 2008/09 estimate, and nearly the same  as 2007/08.  This month's lower crop forecast is primarily due  to the effects of a below-normal monsoon on India.  India’s  2009/10 crop is projected at 84.0 million tons, 15.5 million or 16  percent below last month, 15 percent below 2008/09, and the  lowest crop since 2004/05.  Other notable revisions in 2009/10  production included an increase for Cambodia which is nearly  offset by a decrease for Brazil.  World consumption is lowered  5.3 million tons mostly due to decreases for India, Thailand,  Burma, and Cambodia. Global 2009/10 ending stocks are  projected at 84.0 million tons, down 10.5 million from last  month, and down 4.7 million from revised 2008/09.

USDA: COARSE GRAINS PROJECTIONS FOR 2009/10

COARSE GRAINS:  U.S. feed grain supplies for 2009/10 are  projected higher this month with sharply higher forecast corn  production more than offsetting a reduction in carryin as  2008/09 corn exports are raised 50 million bushels.  Corn  production for 2009/10 is projected at 12.8 billion bushels, up  471 million as higher forecast yields more than offset a small  reduction in harvested area as updated from the June 30  Acreage report.  U.S. corn supplies are projected at a record  14.5 billion bushels, up 134 million from the previous record in  2007/08.    Corn use for 2009/10 is projected higher with rising supplies  and lower expected prices.  Despite reduced prospects for  livestock production, feed and residual use is raised 100 million  bushels with the higher yield and production expected to add to  residual loss.  Food, seed, and industrial use is raised 100  million bushels with higher expected use for ethanol supported  by favorable ethanol producer returns and strong incentives for  ethanol blending.  Exports are projected 150 million bushels  higher reflecting reduced foreign production prospects and  stronger expected import demand from Mexico and Taiwan.   Ending stocks are projected up 71 million bushels with higher  expected use partly offsetting the increase in production.  The  2009/10 marketing-year average farm price is projected at  $3.10 to $3.90 per bushel, down 25 cents on both ends of the  range.  The marketing-year average reflects higher prices for  corn sold for forward delivery over the past several months  ahead of the sharp downturn in futures and cash market prices  since early June.       Other feed grain changes include slightly higher 2009/10  production forecasts for sorghum, barley, and oats, as well as  minor revisions to 2007/08 and 2008/09 imports and exports  based on the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Census.  Oats  imports are projected 15 million bushels lower with reduced  crop prospects in Canada.  As a result, projected feed and  residual use for oats is lowered 10 million bushels.  Global coarse grain supplies for 2009/10 are projected 8.3  million tons higher this month.  Rising production prospects for  U.S. corn, Ukraine barley, India sorghum, and EU-27 rye and  mixed grains are partly offset by reductions in expected coarse  grain output elsewhere.  Corn production prospects are  reduced for Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Ukraine, and EU-27.   Barley production is lowered for Turkey, Canada, and EU-27.   World coarse grain imports and exports are both projected  higher for 2009/10 mostly reflecting higher expected corn  exports, up 2.6 million tons this month.  Corn imports are raised  1.5 million tons for Mexico and 0.3 million tons for Taiwan.  The  3.8-million-ton increase for U.S. corn exports is partly offset by  a 0.5-million-ton reduction each for South Africa and Ukraine,  and a 0.2-million-ton reduction for Russia.  Barley exports are  raised 0.4 million tons with a 1.5-million-ton increase for  Ukraine, partly offset by smaller reductions for Australia,  Canada, EU-27, and Kazakhstan.  Oats exports are cut 0.2  million tons with a reduction in Canada.  Global coarse grain  feeding is raised 1.7 million tons as increased U.S. corn feed  and residual use and higher barley feeding in Australia is partly  offset by reduced corn feeding in Russia and reduced barley  and oats feeding in Canada.  Global coarse grain ending stocks  are projected higher, mostly reflecting a 2.3-million-ton increase  in corn stocks.

USDA: WHEAT PROJECTIONS FOR 2009/10

WHEAT:  U.S. wheat ending stocks for 2009/10 are projected  36 million bushels higher this month as higher forecast  production more than offsets an increase in projected use and  lower imports.  Wheat production is forecast 71 million bushels  higher with increases in all classes of wheat except soft red  winter.  The largest increases are for hard red spring wheat and  durum reflecting sharply higher expected yields in the Northern  Plains.  Feed and residual use is raised 5 million bushels with  the larger crop.  Exports are projected 25 million bushels higher  with reduced production prospects in Canada and Argentina,  which are major competitors in the western hemisphere wheat  market.  The 2009/10 marketing-year average farm price is  projected at $4.70 to $5.70 per bushel, down 10 cents on both  ends of the range.  Small revisions are also made this month to  2007/08 and 2008/09 imports, exports, and food use based on  the latest trade and mill grind data from the U.S. Bureau of  Census.  Global wheat supplies for 2009/10 are projected 5.0 million tons  higher with higher beginning stocks and increased prospects  for global production.  World wheat production is raised 2.8  million tons for 2009/10 with major increases for India, United  States, EU-27, China, and Ukraine partly offset by reductions  for Russia, Argentina, Canada, and Kazakhstan.  India  production is raised 3.0 million tons to a record 80.6 million  based on the latest revision to the official government estimate.   EU-27 production is raised 1.6 million tons mostly on higher  reported yields for Germany, but also on better-than-expected  yields for France and rising prospects for harvested area and  yields for Poland.  Partly offsetting are cuts for Spain, Romania,  Bulgaria, and Austria where persistent dryness reduced yields.   China production is raised 1.0 million tons reflecting the first  official indications for the harvested summer crops.  Ukraine  production is raised 1.0 million tons on higher winter wheat  area and harvest reports.    Production forecasts for 2009/10 are lowered for several major  wheat exporting countries.  Production for Russia is lowered  4.5 million tons as dryness and extended heat during July  sharply reduced yields in the Southern and Volga Districts.   Kazakhstan production is lowered 0.5 million tons as western  growing areas suffered under weather conditions similar to  those in Russia.  Argentina production is lowered 1.0 million  tons as continued dryness in the central and western growing  areas limited plantings.  Production is also lowered 1.0 million  tons for Canada as July rains came too late in some areas of  Alberta and Saskatchewan and crop development remains  delayed raising the potential for late season frost damage.  Global wheat imports and exports for 2009/10 are projected  slightly lower.  Small import reductions are projected for  Afghanistan, Brazil, Egypt, Japan, and Azerbaijan.  Partly  offsetting is an increase for Sudan.  Larger country changes  are forecast for exports, but they are mostly offsetting, leaving  global exports down just 0.6 million tons.  Exports are lowered  2.0 million tons for Russia, 1.8 million tons for India, 1.0 million  tons for Argentina, and 0.5 million for Kazakhstan. Exports are  raised 2.0 million tons each for EU-27 and Ukraine and  combine with higher expected U.S. exports to limit the decline  in global trade.  Global consumption is raised 2.7 million tons  as a 4.4-million-ton increase in India food use is only partly  offset by reductions in food use by Ukraine and Canada, and  lower wheat feeding in EU-27 and Canada.  Global ending  stocks for 2009/10 are projected 2.3 million tons higher boosted  in part by the rise in 2008/09 carryout.

Will Big US Corn & Soybean Crops Find Global Demand?

Nearly 13 billion bushels of corn and more than 3 billion bushels of soybeans will be produced in the US this year, according to USDA’s August Crop Report released on Wednesday. Along with the larger than earlier estimated wheat crop, those will significantly bolster the world grain supply. While US crops will have potential for export trade, will they be needed? Another report released Wednesday by the USDA gives an indication.

USDA’s World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimates were also updated Wednesday and reconciled with the field estimates obtained by the National Agriculture Statistics Service.

Coarse grains. Globally the supply of corn and other feed grains will be 8.3 million tons higher than calculated last month, helped by US supplies and better crops in Ukraine, India, and the European Union. However, the corn crops in Mexico, Russia, South Africa, and Argentina will be smaller, and that will boost corn import and export business. USDA says Mexico and Taiwan will be buying more and the US will be exporting 3.8 million additional tons. That was also reported by USDA when it forecast corn exports would be 2.150 billion bushels, up 200 million from earlier projections. When the marketing year comes to an end in 12 months, stocks are expected to be higher, reflecting the larger corn carryout here in the US. USDA says other changes in the supply and demand of feed grains concern sorghum, barley, and oats, with production increases forecast in all. Canada has a smaller oat crop, so trade will decline and ending stocks will be lowered.

Oilseeds. Global oilseed production for the current year is forecast at a record high, despite world production being slightly lower this month than last. Chinese soybean production is expected to be slightly smaller due to lower yields from excessive moisture. On the other hand increased production in the EU and the Ukraine will offset the lower production in China. European rapeseed production will be at record high levels from better yields, and a large sunflower crop in the EU. In the US, oilseed production estimates declined slightly to 94.5 million metric tons, because of lower soybean and cottonseed production. That correlates to the 3.199 billion bushel soybean crop estimated for 2009. US soybean exports are expected to decline slightly to 1.265 billion bushels, with Argentina shipping more beans and meal to offset the US drop in oilseed trade. USDA raised its estimates of soybean and product prices in the August forecast. While soybean prices will be up 10¢ per bushel, the average price of soybean meal was raised $5 per ton, and the average price of soybean oil was raised a penny per pound.

Wheat: Global production and supplies are better than once expected, says USDA, which pushed up the world production estimate by 5 million tons, with a larger carry-in and more overall production. 2009 production grew by 2.8 million tons, with the help of larger crops in the US, EU, China, and the Ukraine. Production would have been larger, but for lower production in Russia, Argentina, Canada, and Kazakhstan. Indian production reached a record of 80.6 million metric tons. In the EU, some countries reported higher production and others reported less, with an overall gain. In both China and the Ukraine, production was raised by 1 million metric tons. The production cuts were attributed to dryness and extended July heat, as well as rain coming too late to help the Canadian wheat crop.

Global wheat exports are expected to be slightly less than prior years, but only by 600,000 tons. However, there will be significant drops in export business for Russia, India, Argentina, and Kazakhstan, and similar increases in trade for the EU and the Ukraine. Global consumption is expected to be only 2.7 million tons more, held back by reduced feeding of wheat in Europe and Canada. Ending stocks will be higher by 2.3 million tons, helped by the larger carryover from the old crop.

Summary:
Global grain and oilseed production will record numerous pluses and minuses this growing season, and as a result many countries will have to import, making opportunities for exporters, such as the US, to sell surpluses. US corn exports are expected to be 2.150 billion bushels of the new crop, and soybean exports are expected to be 1.265 billion bushels. Both are in the neighborhood of the past two years, and should help support domestic grain and soybean markets.