World Perspectives
feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Worsening Food Prices

Key agricultural commodity prices have risen sharply over the past two years, some reaching their highest level in a decade (see graph below). Now the UN says that climate change could cause production to fall 30 percent at the same time food demand is forecast to rise by 50 percent. The caution with this prognostication is that it was made by two of the worst professions at forecasting: economists and meteorologists! Nonetheless, any price increases will be further compounded by the policy decisions that are being made.  Restrictions on inputs such as land, fertilizer, water, and biotechnology. Disincentives for fossil energy development. Initiatives such as local/food sovereignty. Prohibiting products from certain geographies (...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Grains Fall on Weather, Strong Dollar; Cattle Surge on Inventory Numbers

The CBOT turned lower to start the week with some of the profit-taking that defined Friday’s end-of-month trade continuing into the first day of February. Also pressuring grain futures was an improved forecast for Argentina, a surge in the U.S. dollar, and sharply lower energy markets. Th...

India’s Catbird Seat; Targeting Cuba; Good and Bad GMOs

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2575/bushel, down $0.025 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.2775/bushel, down $0.1025 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $10.6025/bushel, down $0.04 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $294.5/short ton, up $0...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

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India’s Catbird Seat; Targeting Cuba; Good and Bad GMOs

India’s Catbird Seat China is a state-run economy with formidable output, utilizing abundant, lower-cost labor. India is a democracy with a massive low-cost labor pool and countless restrictions on imports. The EU and now the U.S. have completed very different trade agreements with India,...

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Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2575/bushel, down $0.025 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.2775/bushel, down $0.1025 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $10.6025/bushel, down $0.04 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $294.5/short ton, up $0...

livestock

Meat Producer Price Index

Wholesale meat prices fell across the board in December, seasonally adjusted, according to Producer Price Index (PPI) data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The overall PPI for final demand, which measures the end stage of production, rose 0.5 percent last month, driven by high...

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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.

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