Regional Updates MIDDLE EAST/MEDITERRANEAN COMMENTS A feed protein production facility is going to be established in Saudi Arabia. It is reportedly intended to produce as much as 50,000 MT of animal feed protein annually through the processing of methane gas. Construction is expected to begin in the second half of 2020 with completion taking up to 24 months. Saudi food group Almarai reports a decline in profits. Its dairy sector is said to be down approximately 23 percent due to higher import costs for alfafa, although total sales did rise. However, Almarai reports that its poultry division has done very well and is showing strong growth as well as increased profitability. Egypt is planning to build a $200 million pier and grain termina...
Accountability and a comprehensive approach to export programming
WPI’s team helped construct a strategic approach to develop, implement, and track promotional activities in 8 key regions across the globe for an agricultural export association. With continued progress measurement and strategic advisory services from WPI, the association has seen its ROI from investments in promotional programming increase by 44 percent over the past 5 years. Not only does this type of holistic approach to organizational strategy provide measurable results to track and analyze, it fosters top-down and bottom-up organizational accountability.
What You Need to Know Today: Agricultural commodities were mostly lower on the day, with red-hot soyoil a notable exception. Export sales were a bit underwhelming, particularly for corn with export sales down 52 percent week-over-week. The weakness in ag markets tracked crude oil weakness wit...
With the war in Iran affecting fuel and fertilizer prices, higher tariffs, weak commodity prices, ag labor constraints, and other factors, farm bankruptcies are now at a 6-year high, a signal of growing stress. During the month of April, 62 Chapter 12 bankruptcies were filed, which is a 1...
Food Inflation The Open Markets Institute, which is notably funded by several “anonymous” donors and liberal foundations, obtained a guest editorial in the New York Times in which they blame agribusiness concentration for higher grocery prices. This is their schtick and it is politi...