Bangladesh is importing increasingly higher volumes of soybeans, and it has added a substantial amount of new processing capacity in recent years after realizing it could no longer depend on one particular country to meet its soymeal needs. Bayer and Sumitomo to Collaborate on Fungicide Development for Brazil Germany’s Bayer and Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical Company have entered into an agreement to collaborate on developing new fungicides for the Brazilian soybean sector. Under the terms, they will utilize each other’s existing fungicide products in combination to control pathogens like Asian soybean rust, which costs Brazil’s soy farmers billions of dollars each year in lost yields and fungicide application costs. In many years, they must s...
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: The corn and soybean markets closed slightly higher in low-volume trade. The wheat market was mixed, with HRW continuing its downward trek on improved moisture. As expected, the bearish cattle on feed report drove down cattle prices and pulled hogs down with it. Mi...
Monday, 25 May is a U.S. holiday, and both the markets and our office will be closed. Please note that the next issue of Ag Perspectives will be published on Tuesday, 26 May. The WPI staff wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend...
USDA’s monthly cattle on feed report was released today. The total number of cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 head or more capacity amounted to 11.6 million head, 102 percent of last year. Source: USDA, WPI Placements were up, but part of that is attributable to persistent drought c...