The biofuels industry gets a lot of attention for influencing vegetable oil prices but growing human consumption has its role as well. The largest importer for vegetable oils as food is India and its population is reaching par with that of China. In addition to population growth, India is the fastest growing large economy in the world. More people with more income means that India will eventually consume food like the Chinese. However, India has nearly five times as many vegetarians as China and so its dietary composition is different. In lieu of meat, India’s consumers will demand more vegetable oil and plant proteins like peas, lentils, and beans. Right now, the Chinese are consuming nearly 50 percent more vegetable oil...
There are plenty of major headlines moving across the markets today, but the reaction beneath them remains cautious. Crude oil is holding steady despite reports of progress involving the Strait of Hormuz, corn and soybeans remain tied to changing weather forecasts, and wheat continues to weigh...
Russian Grain Markets: 27–31 July 2026 Russian grain prices declined sharply during the week under review as new-crop supplies entered the market and demand weakened. Corn and barley prices declined, while both milling and feed wheat and rye experienced larger losses. The harvest campaign...
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent said the U.S. and Iran could “today or tomorrow” reach a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Despite the Secretary’s claims, an attack on a vessel off the Omani coast suggests plenty of risk remains in forming a lo...
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.