South Korea has had a problem. Its farmers insist on growing rice while its consumers are increasingly switching consumption to wheat-based products. For the second time in recent years the government has contrived a subsidy plan to reduce rice output in favor of wheat or soybeans. It provides incentives for production, sales,and technical support for the milling industry. The latter is being encouraged to use rice flour in lieu of wheat flour. At a time when global rice supplies are at their tightest in seven years, the government is even discouraging the use of higher yielding rice varieties. The effort is having some success, but it isn’t sustainable for many reasons, though first and foremost is economics. In South Korea, t...
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.
What You Need to Know Today: Iran warned that it will retaliate against the U.S. if American strikes target Iranian infrastructure, as President Trump has threatened to do next week if negotiations between the two nations do not resume. President Trump is scheduled to deliver a primetime addre...
Key Takeaways: Tensions in the Persian Gulf are further away than ever from being resolved, as the ceasefire has fallen apart completely and the U.S. and Iran are back to trading blows. Ships are still cautiously exiting the Strait of Hormuz but at a much slower rate than just a few week...