World Perspectives

Policy Roundup

3/11 Policy Effects From an American standpoint, the multiple disasters that struck Japan a year ago this week were transformative. Before calamity struck, while not complacent, the Japanese appeared resigned to their stifling politics and stagnant economics. Global economics may have pushed Tokyo toward the TPP, but it seems 3/11 must have helped make such a pivot possible. Japan has always wavered between its natural insularity and intellectual support for international initiative. However, desperate times allow for desperate measures, and the new found sense of vulnerability is a plausible rationale for developments like Japan conceding to an embargo against Iranian oil and Japanese restaurants now saying they will use more imported r...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

China Market Analysis

Economy China’s official data and its rhetoric do not always align and while its exports have remained robust, it has not prevented a slump in manufacturing output. Its purchasing managers index (PMI) was below 50 (contraction territory) in November, the eighth straight monthly decline. W...

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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.

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