Thailand’s market is now officially reopened to soybean and soymeal imports as the government has resolved a lapse in tariff policy that caused import duties to default to prohibitively high levels earlier this month. On 27 January, the Thai Cabinet approved the continuation of its market-enabling framework and formally restored lapsed WTO tariff-rate quotas through the end of 2028. The decision reopens import channels that were effectively closed when government policy defaulted in early 2026 to a system of high bound tariffs for soybeans and soymeal. For soymeal, Thailand will maintain a WTO tariff-rate quota (TRQ) of 230,559 MT per year from 2026–2028, with an in-quota tariff of 10 percent and an out-of-quota tariff of...
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.
Key Market Insights The broad market is locked in on this week’s Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing, but this is no longer just a trade summit. Increasingly, the meeting is becoming tied directly to Iran, energy security, and the growing global economic fallout from disruptions through the Strai...