Corn followed through on last week’s upside breakout and overnight fund buying sent the market to a fresh contract high. Buying interest was limited in wheat and soybeans, however, with funds using rallies in both as selling opportunities. That created choppy, sideways trade for most CBOT markets and corn futures were pulled off the day’s highs. WPI remains bullish corn and soybean fundamentals, but money flows suggest the soy complex will struggle heading into February. Position adjusting is starting to develop ahead of the February WASDE, which may put markets in range-bound modes going forward. Funds are thought to have purchased 13,000 contracts of corn futures and sold 7,00-8,000 contracts each of soybeans and wheat...
Wool is one of the most misunderstood U.S. agricultural commodities. Fine wool in the 17–21 micron range commands premium prices in luxury apparel, technical outdoor gear, and high-end knitwear, while coarser wool is gaining support as building codes and standards shift toward natural-fib...
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...
Key Takeaways: Sugarcane is the world’s largest crop by total production volume, surpassing major commodities such as corn, wheat, and soybeans, and supplies roughly 80 percent of global sugar production. Sugarcane’s perennial growth cycle allows farmers to harvest multiple crops f...
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.