World Perspectives

State Control of Markets – Russia; State Control of Markets – U.S

State Control of MarketsRussia’s agriculture ministry recently “suggested” that grain exporters not sell wheat internationally below the minimum price of $250/MT FOB. The minimum price approach is less clumsy than export quotas but is a harder stop than Moscow’ use of export taxes to try and manage domestic food supplies. The initiative is a throw back to the Soviet era when government control over agriculture was more pervasive. Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev and U.S. President George H.W. Bush sought to normalize relations. Gorbachev asked for help in agriculture and when the translation arrived at USDA, it sounded as if they wanted to learn how to better run their agriculture ministry. USDA officials provided their Soviet counte...

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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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