Friend-shoring Agriculture When the EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council (TTC) platform was launched last fall, there was no war in Ukraine, and there was no mention of food. The second TTC meeting concluded today focused heavily on Russia and includes a new dialogue on changing the current food system. Not only did Russia disrupt agricultural trade with its war on Ukraine and the blockade of its ports, but its disinformation campaign has placed blame for global food insecurity on western sanctions related to the war. This angle has even been echoed by the Chinese national running the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, Qu Dongyu. By weaponizing food, Russia has forced its inclusion in the transatlantic policy agenda, thou...
Key Market Insights The broad market is locked in on this week’s Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing, but this is no longer just a trade summit. Increasingly, the meeting is becoming tied directly to Iran, energy security, and the growing global economic fallout from disruptions through the Strai...
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.