The U.S. is a major market for Spanish olive producers, and they are currently reeling from a 35 percent antidumping/countervailing duty plus a 25 percent charge imposed by Washington via the Airbus case. Growers are hopeful that a recent court ruling could partially reduce the AD/CVD charge but there are larger problems within the Spanish industry. As outlined by Greek writer Costas Vasilopoulos, there are 240,000 “small” olive farms in Spain that could vanish over the next 10 years. Intensive farming yields 50 percent more olives at half the cost. FAO data shows that Portuguese olive growers next door to Spain receive just half the farm gate price. Spain’s small farms face intense international competition as the...
The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) enters its mandated six-year review on 1 July. The original intent of the review is outlined in Article 34.7, which obligates members to: Provide recommendations and decide on appropriate actions. Extend the USMCA for another 16 years and meet aga...
The CBOT/CME markets and our offices will be closed tomorrow, Friday, 19 June in observance of the U.S. Juneteenth holiday. Please note that the next Ag Perspectives will be published on Monday, 22 June. ...
Key Takeaways: Drought remains a major threat to global agricultural production, particularly in regions with limited rainfall and growing water scarcity. Commercially available drought-tolerant traits in corn, soybeans, and wheat have generally delivered modest yield improvements, limiting th...
Key Takeaways: Peace at last in the Persian Gulf? Over the weekend, the U.S. announced and Iranian officials confirmed a peace agreement, with formal ratification set for Geneva on 19 June. The announcement means the Strait of Hormuz is set to reopen fully and toll-free within 30 days.&n...
From WPI Consulting
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.