Corn and soyabean spot basis bids in the US Midwest were mixed on Tuesday but several locations firmed their bids, trying to counterbalance Monday's drop in Chicago Board of Trade futures, dealers said.
Farmer sales were also quiet after CBOT May soyabeans closed 20-3/4 cents per bushel lower at $9.17 and May corn ended at a two-week low of $2.92-1/2, down 4-3/4 cents, in reaction to worries about bird flu in the United States and Asia.
"A few were getting nervous, but they didn't sell anything," one Ohio dealer said.
Most farmers are waiting for $10 soyabeans and $3 corn, dealers said.
Illinois River basis bids for corn and soyabeans were also 1 cent to 3 cents a bushel firmer due to the weakness in CBOT futures. Also, CIF corn at the US Gulf was a little stronger on Monday, which helped corn basis values.
But both CIF corn and soyabeans were steady on Tuesday, with country movement slow.
Soft red winter wheat basis bids were stronger in Toledo, Ohio, after continued weakness in US wheat futures prices.
Corn and soyabean futures were expected to open firm - corn steady to up 1/2 cent and soyabeans 2 cents to 4 cents higher - after Monday's collapse in prices, traders said.
Soft red winter wheat futures were seen opening mixed, up 1/2 cent to down 1/2 cent.