Regional Updates MIDDLE EAST/MEDITERRANEAN COMMENTS Morocco’s central bank has indicated that the country’s grain production will be down about 40 percent in 2019 but should not be of concern, adding that it is expected to increase again in 2020. The Moroccan economy is not anticipated to show much growth in 2019, and there will be little decline in unemployment along with slow growth in new jobs. The bank also stated that there has been a “considerable drop” in development funds from “generous Gulf donors” like Saudi Arabia. After saying said it had arranged financing with the Islamic Trade Finance Corp (ITFC) to cover recently-stated new terms of sight payments, Egypt’s GASC now says that all f...
What You Need to Know Today: Markets got a surprise with a corn yield of 181.2 bushels/acre in the October WASDE, above the average estimate of 177.6 bushels/acre and up from USDA’s September estimate of 178.5 bushels/acre. Although stronger demand is expected to absorb some of the addit...
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.