Corn So far, 35 percent of Argentina’s planted area is harvested with a weekly progress of just 2 percent. Farmers are still focused on the soybean harvest, but as soon as they finish with that crop they will automatically switch to corn. The flow of trucks to ports was high all last week, averaging 2,400 per day (70,000 MT/day) arriving at upriver ports. Those figures are not bad considering the upriver vessel lineup is 1.6 MMT. During April, ports will end up loading about 4 MMT of corn. The situation in Argentina’s southern ports, especially Bahia Blanca, is vastly different. The vessel lineup is about 700,00 MT, considerably higher than expectations and forecasts as the low draft of the Parana River is obligat...
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.