Competition has intensified for South American soybean exports as the recent 20-cent collapse in basis at the U.S. Gulf has brought U.S. production back into the picture. Soybeans Soybean planting will begin next week in Argentina for the 2015/16 season, and there are projections of a planted area totalling approximately 20 million hectares. The common expectation is that 1 million hectares of corn will be replaced with soybeans. Interestingly, Argentine soybean production is expected to decline despite the shift in acreage as farmers reduce inputs in an effort to minimize costs. Exporters are anticipating a total harvest of 57-58 MMT compared with 60 MMT in 2014/15.A positive development for soybean farmers is that the growing season acr...
What You Need to Know Today: The corn and soybean markets closed slightly higher in low-volume trade. The wheat market was mixed, with HRW continuing its downward trek on improved moisture. As expected, the bearish cattle on feed report drove down cattle prices and pulled hogs down with it. Mi...
Monday, 25 May is a U.S. holiday, and both the markets and our office will be closed. Please note that the next issue of Ag Perspectives will be published on Tuesday, 26 May. The WPI staff wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend...
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity amounted to 11.6 million head, 102 percent of last year. Source: USDA, WPI Placements were up, but part of that is attributable to persistent drought c...
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.