US rice futures on the Chicago Board of Trade dived the 50-cent trading limit on Friday, pressed by USDA's bigger 2009 harvest and ending stocks estimates for American rice, traders said. September down 49 cents at $13.33 per cwt, November down 50 at $13.52.
Daily trading limit expands to 75 cents after the limit-down move. USDA forecast this season's rice harvest at 217.9 million cwt, up from 211.2 million estimated last month. US 2009/10 end stocks seen growing to 43.9 million cwt, up from 23.9 million. USDA reported export sales of rice in the latest week at 77,400 tonnes, up 44 percent from the week before. Iraq 2009 rice crop seen shrinking due to drought.