World Perspectives

Dissecting Japan and Europe; Subsidizing Competitors; Lowly in Rome

Eastern European members complaining that food companies sell inferior products in their part of the EU should be informed by the American experience. Dissecting Japan MIT professor and Japan specialist Richard Samuels argues that the island nation was forced by globalization to evolve from a 1980s strategy of autonomy, consortia (collusion) and (government) nurturance to the present day better, faster, cheaper. However, this cannot be said of its food sector. As noted in the WTO’s latest trade policy review, Japan’s agriculture has “relatively high levels of protection and support.” The U.S. noted numerous market access barriers and imports controlled by state trading enterprises (simultaneous buy and sell).The Abe government has initiat...

Related Articles
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Volume Gives Way as Bearish Slide Moderates

There was lower volume in the grain pits today, with perhaps some stronger interest in the last few days of holiday shopping. Traders were not buying corn or soybeans for their loved ones today, but maybe a wee bit of HRS, which closed up today and uniquely was higher for the week. There were...

livestock

Cattle on Feed Report: Record Low Placements, Second Lowest Marketings

USDA’s monthly Cattle on Feed report was released today. Total cattle on feed amounted to 11.7 million head, 98 percent of last year.    Placements were the lowest for the month of November since the series began in 1996, dropping 11 percent on the year due to a tight cattle su...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.4375/bushel, down $0.0075 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.0975/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $10.4925/bushel, down $0.03 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soymeal closed at $297.6/short ton, down $0.8...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Volume Gives Way as Bearish Slide Moderates

There was lower volume in the grain pits today, with perhaps some stronger interest in the last few days of holiday shopping. Traders were not buying corn or soybeans for their loved ones today, but maybe a wee bit of HRS, which closed up today and uniquely was higher for the week. There were...

livestock

Cattle on Feed Report: Record Low Placements, Second Lowest Marketings

USDA’s monthly Cattle on Feed report was released today. Total cattle on feed amounted to 11.7 million head, 98 percent of last year.    Placements were the lowest for the month of November since the series began in 1996, dropping 11 percent on the year due to a tight cattle su...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.4375/bushel, down $0.0075 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.0975/bushel, up $0.02 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soybeans closed at $10.4925/bushel, down $0.03 from yesterday's close.  Jan 26 Soymeal closed at $297.6/short ton, down $0.8...

livestock

It’s Official, Cow-Calf Profits Hit Record for 2025

December is upon us and the fall calf run all but ended, the beef industry is finalizing its estimates of 2025 profitability and market performance. For cow-calf producers, the results from all but the last two weeks of the year indicate profits easily hit a record high, even on an inflation-ad...

Image
From WPI Consulting

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.

Search World Perspectives

Sign In to World Perspectives

Don’t have an account yet? Sign Up