CHICAGO, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) agricultural futures closed mixed on Tuesday, with corn and wheat slipping and soybean rising.

       The most active corn contract for May delivery fell 3.25 cents, or 0.43 percent, to settle at 7.53 U.S. dollars per bushel. May wheat lost one cent, or 0.09 percent, to settle at 11.1825 dollars per bushel. May soybean rose 5.5 cents, or 0.33 percent, to settle at 16.965 dollars per bushel.

       Corn and wheat went lower on profit taking. The volume of trade has been better than prior days. The end of the quarter and month looms along with an all-important U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) March Seeding and Stocks report, which has slowed the fund buying and cause profit taking.

       CBOT grain futures are at historical highs for late March. U.S. March 1 corn stocks will be above last year. Chicago-based research company AgResource holds a sideways/range bound view heading into April.

       There are rumors that Egypt is a large buyer of optional origin vegoil to the tune of 60,000 metric tons to 80,000 metric tons. Food security concerns may have fueled the large oil purchase.

       Brazil dropped its import tax on ethanol to zero from 10 percent starting from April.

       USDA announced that 240,000 metric tons of U.S. soybeans were sold to an unknown destination, likely China.

       There will be another chance of rain in the Plains during the middle of next week for Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. The upper air flow pattern is open and should offer rain chances every 4-6 days for the Plains and the Midwest. The first half of April weather pattern appears normal for the Central U.S. which will favor a timely start for the seeding of U.S. summer row crops.