Regional Updates MIDDLE EAST/MEDITERRANEAN COMMENTS Russia and Syria are reportedly about to cooperate on a wheat hub in the latter country for the Middle Eastern wheat import markets. This project will mean an expansion of ports there with added grain storage and transshipment facilities along with improved domestic railway and road links. Cairo Poultry, one of Egypt’s largest integrated poultry companies, reports that profits are down almost 68 percent in the first nine months of 2018 despite higher sales of just over 6 percent during the same period. There was no published comment on the reason for the decline in profits. Turkey, the UAE and India (among others) have been granted waivers by the U.S. that will allow those countr...
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.
What You Need to Know Today: Traders are increasingly focused on next Wednesday’s August WASDE report, with corn and soybean yield estimates expected to drive the next major move in grain markets. Recent crop condition declines and late-July heat have increased uncertainty around USDA&rs...
Yesterday the Senate Agriculture Committee held its markup of the “skinny” farm bill, and it was derailed over Democratic opposition to plans for imposing food stamp costs on state governments. The Democrats pushed back on a provision that required states to pick up a larger share o...
Key Takeaways: WPI’s 2025/26 corn export models continue to reflect strong international demand and put the total marketing year volume slightly above USDA’s estimates. Strong old crop corn exports are offset by weaker feed and residual use, leaving ending stocks slightly ele...