Geopolitics China's reaction to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's recent remarks on a potential Taiwan crisis has been disproportionately harsh and overtly hostile as it tried to undermine her domestic political support. Beijing’s ban on seafood imports from Japan based on the Fukushima nuclear disaster from nearly 14 years ago is overtly contrived. And the admonishment against Chinese tourism to Japan looks petty. Taiwan was discussed in a phone call this week between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping and the two leaders agreed that Mr. Trump will visit Beijing in April and he will host Xi for a state visit in 2026. Trump and Takaichi spoke afterwards but no word on whether she will reverse her decision to...
Infrastructure investment due diligence
On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.
Yesterday, the USDA released its monthly World Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE), forecasting tighter beef and pork supplies and growing broiler supplies, resulting in a tighter red meat supply. Broiler production, however, continues to grow and is forecast to be up more than 3 percent. Beef...