In the 1500’s, it was considered folly to plant oats in lieu of “good” grain. Unlike wheat and other crops, oats are deficient in phytase and require additional processing. More importantly, the yield and price have not equaled the return on other crops. But oat demand has been increasing at the same time exportable production has been slowly dwindling. The EU produces more than a third of the world’s oats but consumes most of them domestically. Canada produces only half as many oats as the EU, but it exports 43 percent of its output. The price of oats rose 12.5 percent last year and are up another 3 percent so far this year. One source of new demand has been oat milk. The problem for an “orphan” c...
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
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.