Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA The owners of the container ship that blocked the Suez Canal – Ever Given – are claiming that the Suez Canal Authority (SCA) is at fault for allowing the vessel to enter the canal during very bad weather and extremely high crosswinds. The owners also say the vessel was to have had two tugboats alongside, but these were not provided by SCA. The SCA is claiming $916 million against the owner and the vessel continues to be held in Egypt. Recent reports have the SCA claim being reduced to $550 million. Courts in Egypt have also ruled that the vessel can continue to be detained but there were stories that the vessel may be released against a $200 million security deposit...
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...
The USDA has lowered its 2026 red meat production forecasts slightly while forecasting a slight increase in broiler production. Beef is now projected at 24.802 billion pounds, 75 million pounds less than in September. Cow slaughter is expected to be up; however, this will be offset by lower ste...
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.