Livestock Central Government Takes More Steps to Rein in Pork Prices Following the auction of frozen reserved pork last week, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) plans to release 15,000 MT more this Sunday. By the end of the month, a total of 200,000 MT of frozen reserved pork is expected to be put up for auction, as the Golden Week, recognizing the founding of modern China, will begin on 1 October. Party leadership is keen on keeping retail pork prices where most people can afford them given the economic doldrums impacting the country. In the provinces of Jiangxi and Anhui, the recent auction saw an average price below the RMB 20/kg ($1.31/lb.) threshold, and lower than most national prices. Following t...
What You Need to Know Today: The corn and soybean markets closed slightly higher in low-volume trade. The wheat market was mixed, with HRW continuing its downward trek on improved moisture. As expected, the bearish cattle on feed report drove down cattle prices and pulled hogs down with it. Mi...
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity amounted to 11.6 million head, 102 percent of last year. Source: USDA, WPI Placements were up, but part of that is attributable to persistent drought c...
Let’s return briefly to the fake meat hype cycle, now sitting somewhere in a dusty corner of your mind, not entirely forgotten. What happened to all those products, known as plant-based alternative proteins? They were supposed to be as good as real meat—cheaper, more environmentally...
From WPI Consulting
Forecasting developments in production agriculture
On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.