*
Strong farm goods demand supports Chicago grain, oilseed futures
*
Lower output in the Black Sea region to curb world supplies
SINGAPORE, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Chicago soybean and corn futures firmed on Friday, while wheat ticked lower, but all three were poised for weekly gains as strong global demand for agricultural products supported prices.
Strong export sales and positive influence from outside market helped support agricultural prices, commodities research firm The Hightower said in a report. "Grain markets were also supported by reports... that Ukraine grain production could be down sharply again for the coming year."
The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) gained 0.1% at $15.25 a bushel, as of 0431 GMT, corn rose 0.1% to $6.83 a bushel and wheat gave up 0.5% to $7.48-1/2 a bushel.
For the week, soybeans are up 1.2%, corn and wheat have added 1%.
China, by far the world's biggest soybean importer, is likely to step up purchases in the weeks ahead after the country eased COVID-19 restrictions.
A weekly report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Thursday showed that export sales of soybeans totalled 1.275 million tonnes in the week ended Jan. 19, topping market expectations.
Corn export sales of 925,900 tonnes and wheat export sales of 561,400 tonnes were in line with trade estimates.
Traders said the gains in corn and soybeans were limited by the upcoming South American harvest.
Recent rains have brought badly needed relief to much of Argentina's parched agricultural land, the Buenos Aires Grains exchange said on Thursday, with coming rains expected to further help farmers in the planting stage amid a historic drought.
The grains received additional support from concerns that the crops of key supplier Ukraine will be smaller due to the war, and that Russia's crop also will fall below expectations.
Ukraine's corn and wheat production is set to fall for a second year in 2023, with corn output not expected to exceed 18 million tonnes and wheat production 16 million tonnes as farmers reduce planting due to the war, a grain sector group said on Thursday.
Ukraine's agriculture minister said last month that 2022 corn production could fall to 22 million-23 million tonnes from 41.9 million tonnes in 2021.
Wheat production is estimated to have fallen to about 20 million tonnes last year.
The USDA said on Thursday it saw Russia's official wheat crop estimate as "not feasible".
Mark Jekanowski, chairman of the USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board, told the Argus Media's Paris Grain Conference that the agency's analysis of weather and previous crops did not support such a high crop as Russia estimated.
Commodity funds were net buyers of CBOT wheat, soybean, corn, soymeal and soyoil futures contracts on Thursday, traders said. (Reporting by Naveen Thukral; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Uttaresh.V)
