Livestock China’s Average Live Pig Price Rises Another 3.5 Percent China’s national average live pig price climbed 3.5 percent from the previous week to reach RMB 14.97/kg ($2.24/kg) or RMB 6.79/lb. ($1.02/lb.) as of 20 March, its highest level since January of last year. This strong momentum marked three straight weeks of solid increases since the end of February. At this pricing, demand for imported pork products should continue to rise for the balance of 2019. The latest USDA-FAS semi-annual livestock and products report forecasts China’s pork imports will grow 33 percent this year to 2 MMT. The situation may seem to offer little consolation for U.S. producers, given they face a 62 percent retaliatory tariff in China...
What You Need to Know Today: Russia rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, including a proposal to halt attacks on civilian shipping that could help restore grain flows from Ukrainian ports. Tyson Foods announced plans to permanently close its Joslin, Illinois, beef processing facili...
The big news in the cattle markets yesterday was Tyson Foods’ move to close two more beef plants. One of them, the Joslin, Illinois, plant was shuttered immediately after the announcement. The other, in Eagle Mountain, Utah, is a case-ready plant that does not slaughter cattle. Tyson also...
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday. In July, the CPI rose 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy, or the “core” infla...
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.