In today’s Black Sea report, WPI’s analyst points out that Russia and Kazakhstan, and particularly Russia are supplanting Canada as a supplier of linseed. Russia previously produced around a half-million tons a year but is now nearing 2 MMT or half of global production. World production of linseed is just over 3 MMT and is expanding at about 3 percent per year, but trade is flat at around 2 MMT. Considering global oilseed production is around 900 MMT, it is a very minor oilseed and is used mainly for industrial purposes (paints, varnishes), though some envision it as a superfood or its fiber as a feed ingredient. China may be buying more Russian linseed, but the EU is the major importer, taking nearly half of all traded s...
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...
What You Need to Know Today: Wholesale inflation was flat in July, with the Producer Price Index (PPI) unchanged versus expectations for a 0.2 percent increase. Core PPI rose 0.2 percent, also below expectations. The softer inflation data has reduced the odds of a September interest rate incre...
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.