High Mississippi Barge Rates Make PNW Soy Shipments a Bargain Normally, cash prices for soybeans are about $0.50/bushel ($18.40/MT) higher at export elevators in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) than at those located along the Mississippi River. However, the premium has dropped to no more than around $05/bushel for June shipment because flooding along that river has caused a surge in barge freight rates there. In the near term, U.S. soybean shipments from the PNW are a bargain because of the lower ocean freight costs to Asia from that location. Asian buyers who usually do not source many soybeans from the PNW should now be booking cargoes from that location. This includes buyers in Japan, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan and Bangladesh. &nb...
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...
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.