Oct 2 (Reuters) -Basis bids for soybeans and corn shipped by barge to the Gulf Coast extended a setback on Wednesday after some barge lines eased draft restrictions due to improved river shipping conditions, traders said.

* Soybean and corn export premiums also fell at the Gulf.

* Water levels on the Mississippi River and its tributaries could potentially decline again after rains from Hurricane Helene work their way out of the system, a broker said. Low water previously limited barge drafts and tow sizes.

* Commodity Weather Group projected a drier pattern in the Midwest over the next 10 days that will allow corn and soy harvesting to proceed uninterrupted.

* The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday is expected to report weekly 2024-25 U.S. export sales of 600,000 to 1 million metric tons for corn and 1 million to 1.6 million metric tons for soybeans, analysts said.

* At U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast ports, a dockworkers' strike that is halting shipments entered its second day, with no negotiations currently scheduled between the two sides, sources told Reuters.

* CIF October soybean barges were bid 1 cent lower at 67 cents over futures.

* FOB soy export premiums for the first half of November fell by 1 cent to 114 cents over futures. Last-half November offers were about 114 cents over futures, down 1 cent.

* For corn, CIF barges loaded in October were bid steady 2 cents lower at 72 cents over CBOT December CZ24 futures.

* FOB Gulf corn export basis offers were about 110 cents over futures for first-half November shipment, down 4 cents. Offers were also 110 cents over for last-half November shipment, which was flat.

Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by Shailesh Kuber

For displays of CIF basis, click on the codes in brackets: U.S. CIF Gulf soybeans GRYM U.S. CIF Gulf corn GRYN U.S. CIF Gulf SRW wheat GRYO U.S. CIF Gulf HRW wheat GRYP
For displays of FOB basis, please click on the following codes in brackets: U.S. FOB Gulf corn GRZC U.S. FOB Gulf soybeans GRZD U.S. FOB Gulf SRW wheat GRZE U.S. FOB Gulf HRW wheat GRZF LINKS Corn prices page: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageid=corn-cash-market
Wheat prices page: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageid=wheat-cash-market
U.S. barge freight BG/US
U.S. export sales estimates USDA/EST
U.S. grain export summary GRA/U
Brazil soybean export prices SYBS
Brazil corn export prices SYBX
Argentina grain prices GRA/ARG
Russia grain prices GRA/RU