Spot hard red winter wheat basis bids were unchanged in the U.S. Plains states on Tuesday, with dealers reporting quiet trade as farmers hesitated to sell.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday reported that winter wheat ratings held steady at just 26% good-to-excellent as a severe drought in the U.S. Plains wheat belt has damaged much of the crop.
The rating was the lowest on record for the 26th week of the year, according to USDA data that goes back to 1986.
The winter wheat harvest progressed at a slower-than-anticipated pace as the USDA said 48% of the nation's crop was harvested. Analysts polled by Reuters, on average, expected the harvest to be 54% complete as of Sunday.
All U.S. wheat plantings fell to 42.740 million acres from 45.328 million in 2025, the USDA reported on Tuesday.
K.C. September hard red winter wheat (KWU26) was last 15-1/4 cents higher to $6.30 per bushel.
Basis values are quoted against futures in cts/bu:
Current Previous Cash | basis basis price | KANSAS | Wichita -24 + N -24 + N $6.06 | Newton -49 + N -49 + N $5.81 | Goodland -65 + N -65 + N $5.65 | TEXAS | Gulf track* 115 + N 115 + N $7.45 | Galveston** 100 + N 100 + N $7.30 | OKLAHOMA | Enid -15 + N -15 + N $6.15 | Catoosa -30 + U -30 + U $6.00 |
NOTES:
H = March, K = May, N = July, U = September
Z = December; UNQ = Unquoted bids
0 = Spot Option price; NC = No comparison
* = No. 1 12% hard winter wheat, rail bids
** = Ordinary protein, rail bids
LINKS:
* K.C. HRW wheat protein scales
* U.S. weekly wheat crop progress
* U.S. forward basis (WHEAT/BASIS)
* U.S. Midwest cash grain PM
* U.S. CIF Gulf Grain
* U.S. FOB Gulf Grain