World crop production has struggled in 2018 after five consecutive years of record output. The Northern Hemisphere growing season is basically now finished, and things didn’t go so well. World wheat and corn production were significantly affected by drought this past summer. That problem and early frost/freezes on both sides of the Australian continent have badly hurt the canola and barley production there in addition to the wheat crop. Weather is now beginning to also impact North America as the spring wheat, corn and soybean harvests are underway. The Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan are too wet and too cool with some snow, and weather forecasts indicate those conditions will continue. That will affect the quantity an...
Markets are caught between reasons to keep selling and reasons to take another look. Fund liquidation and renewed peace talks are pressuring grains, while fresh export business and some diesel relief offer encouragement. Corn recovered nearly 10 cents from its low to finish higher, while soybea...
Key Takeaways: President Trump announced $8 billion in additional agricultural assistance through the Harvest Fuel Relief Program, as USDA projects farm fuel and oil expenses will increase 28.8 percent in 2026. The package follows $12 billion in earlier relief, while government farm payments w...
Key Takeaways: A student group from the University of Chicago is protesting to bring back onion futures trading. Trading in onion futures was banned in 1958 following a spectacular bout of market manipulation that resulted in a corner of the physical market. The ban on onion futures led t...
From WPI Consulting
Infrastructure investment due diligence
On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.