MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, U.S. — MGEX reported on Feb. 1 that total futures and options trading for its flagship hard red spring wheat (HRSW) contract in January increased more than 36% when compared to December 2011. Total exchange volume was 93,252 contracts traded.

Futures trading volume for HRSW improved 34% over the previous month with 91,154 futures contracts traded. Options trading increased a staggering 1,100% over December 2011 and 17% when compared to January of last year.

The exchange in January also announced changes to its HRSW contract including Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) approval for the removal of the U.S origin condition effective with September 2012 contract month. The removal allows spring wheat from around the world to be delivered in satisfaction of open MGEX HRSW futures positions.

MGEX also announced it added a deoxynivalenon (vomitoxin) specification to the flagship contract effective with the May 2013 contract month as well as a change in storage rates for spring wheat delivery on the HRSW futures contract.