hi Bob, I didn't hug any bags today - but I would if I had one :-)

Now,you have a lot of knowledge on I-NPK situation and various stuff in general. And I definitely share your worries concerning the ramifications for the future on the same.It is probably a very under communicated issue (for what I know) , anyways..

Job specialization is dependent upon food surpluses, but grain stockpiles have been shrinking steadily.

Q: Have you got a link to Un/FAO or other body who maintain some sort of real-time stockpile numbers for grains ?

thx upfront

Hello Paal Myrtvedt,

Thxs for responding. Nope, I don't have any realtime links. I just google away like everyone else. I gotta admit that it sure would be nice to have a personal satellite to spymap the critical info early.

The USDA periodically releases critical farming reports, but the secrecy level beforehand is tighter than a drum... No cellphones, no laptops, no briefcases, windowless room, etc... because advance info would be worth bigbucks to grain traders.

They had a problem a few decades ago when someone gave advance market info by subtly re-positioning a window blind to indicate grain market trends.

http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/645115.html
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Soggy spring produces poor corn crop and high costs

In a year of rising food prices and high fuel costs that are creating pressure to produce more ethanol, the country could really use a perfect corn crop.

So far, it isn’t happening.

And depending on the right mix of sun, heat, rain and cool, it could drive prices up even further...
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Time will tell.

thx Bob. I didn't mean literally real-time, but more like monthly or half-yearly or so, just some updated reliable souce