Macro Trends Food Inflation Hits Seventh-Month High As the trade war with the U.S. has continued, monthly food costs in China surged with the end of summer, rising 3.6 percent on average in September compared with a year ago. For 2018, this represents the biggest uptick since February when prices climbed due to the annual New Year celebrations. Apart from the impact of tariffs on U.S. agricultural foodstuffs, China’s reliance on Brazilian soybeans to fill the gap is pushing up the price of cooking oil. This is because soyoil is the most commonly consumed vegetable oil. The most significant driver overall, however, has been the price of pork. The ongoing African swine fever (ASF) problem (see below) has been a factor in the average l...
What You Need to Know Today: USDA reports are delayed until Tuesday due to the federal holiday on Monday. Over the weekend, President Trump announced a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Russia warmly welcomed and confirmed this ceasefire by conducting more strikes against Ukraine. Specific...
On Saturday, 10 October, at a campaign rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, President Trump said that the U.S. and Mexico would come to terms on a new trade deal, and he said Canada does not need to be part of the deal. Trump called the coming agreement with Mexico “great” but gave no d...
Key Takeaways: The United States has steadily lost global wheat export market share since the 1970s, falling from the world's leading exporter to a projected fifth place in 2026/27. The rapid expansion of Black Sea wheat exports, driven by improved productivity and export infrastructure, has r...
From WPI Consulting
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.