World Perspectives
energy softs

How Sweet It Isn't

Global sugar consumption has now paced below the population growth rate for three years in a row. After dipping sharply in 2019, per capita consumption continues to be lower than it was in the first part of the last decade. There are many factors involved including substitutes, price, and demand as a feedstock for biofuels. Although Brazil is a major producer of ethanol and is expending its feedstock from sugar to also using corn, its overall production of biofuel is forecast to increase, and livestock increasingly compete for the use of corn. Sugarcane grown at the equator continues to be the most efficient feedstock for ethanol.  The sugar industry points to the decline in sugar consumption concurrent with the increase in obesity to...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2825/bushel, down $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.225/bushel, down $0.07 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $10.6175/bushel, down $0.06 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $294.3/short ton, down $5...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Mercosure Regional Analysis

CORN As of today, 93 percent of the expected area has been planted, representing a year-on-year delay of more than five percentage points. Some late-planted fields may remain unseeded due to a lack of soil moisture. Rainfall remains absent, while persistently high temperatures are increasing cr...

biofuel energy

E15 Dropped from Appropriations Bill

In a years-long, ongoing policy battle, a provision to secure E15 was dropped at the last minute from the appropriations bill. On paper, the path forward looks clear, as the oil refiners’ association is now onboard with E15; however, there are still many other smaller mechanisms in the le...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

Mar 26 Corn closed at $4.2825/bushel, down $0.0225 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Wheat closed at $5.225/bushel, down $0.07 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soybeans closed at $10.6175/bushel, down $0.06 from yesterday's close.  Mar 26 Soymeal closed at $294.3/short ton, down $5...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Mercosure Regional Analysis

CORN As of today, 93 percent of the expected area has been planted, representing a year-on-year delay of more than five percentage points. Some late-planted fields may remain unseeded due to a lack of soil moisture. Rainfall remains absent, while persistently high temperatures are increasing cr...

biofuel energy

E15 Dropped from Appropriations Bill

In a years-long, ongoing policy battle, a provision to secure E15 was dropped at the last minute from the appropriations bill. On paper, the path forward looks clear, as the oil refiners’ association is now onboard with E15; however, there are still many other smaller mechanisms in the le...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

CFTC COT Report Analysis

Friday’s CFTC report showed funds maintaining positions in the major ag futures contract, breaking a four-week trend of significant net selling. Funds cut 3,800 contracts from their net all-ags short position last week, with buying in soyoil and livestock futures driving most of that incr...

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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.

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