CBOT futures were higher to start the week with wheat leading the rally. Drought in the U.S. Plains, too much rain in eastern Australia, and geopolitical concerns in the Black Sea all combined to drive Paris, Australian, CBOT and KCBT wheat futures to new contract highs. Corn was pulled higher through spread trade and spillover buying while soybeans and soyoil rallied on higher crude oil prices. Funds were surprisingly active ahead of the holiday-shortened trading week in the U.S. and were net buyers across the board. World wheat futures were higher, due partly to Russia’s continued efforts to amass troops near the Ukrainian borders. While the odds of a Russian invasion of Ukraine are low, such an event would undoubtedly lead t...
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.