World Perspectives

Equilibration of Food Prices

International trade is supposed to equilibrate prices as the supply of goods or services flow to where they deemed more precious. Hog prices in Europe are currently 57 percent higher than in the U.S., which some believe creates an opportunity for transatlantic pork sales. However, open markets do not automatically overcome price differences caused by transportation, consumer preference, quality, exchange rates and other factors. The EU is a single market, but not all members of the trading bloc belong to the eurozone. Eastern European countries complained about poorer quality food, but their consumers were not always willing or able to pay as much as those in richer parts of Europe. The EU’s geographic preferences reinforce different...

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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.

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