Millers and grain traders in Zimbabwe have set a minimum purchase price for local maize of $335/MT, which is lower than the $390/MT that the government has said it will pay. The millers maintain that this price will also allow them to mill locally and compete against low-cost imports. Regional Updates MIDDLE EAST/MEDITERRANEAN COMMENTS Egyptian authorities report that 2.89 MMT of local wheat have been procured to date. The purchases are said to be running ahead of last year due to the availability of much more storage capacity, and there is speculation that the 4 MMT goal will be purchased well before the 30 June target date. The government also points out that it is actively monitoring the wheat to ensure that it is 100 percent locally...
What You Need to Know Today: Chinese purchases of U.S. soybeans continued to accelerate, with USDA reporting another 558 KMT sold to China and 236 KMT to unknown destinations. Combined with sales announced Wednesday and Thursday, the latest purchases bring the three-day total to approximately...
As fall begins, wild migratory birds are starting their seasonal migration. That has the industry and government officials worried about the potential spread, again, of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Some members of Congress have called for the United States to be prepared for a pote...
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.