The CBOT was sharply higher with continued dry weather in the southern Plains pushing wheat higher while corn scored new contract highs on fund buying and strong technical trends. World vegoil markets rallied as well with palm oil pushing to fresh rally highs and CBOT soyoil notching new contract highs. The mood at the CBOT was decidedly bullish and sellers were few, resulting in choppy trade at times. For the day, funds are thought to have bought 16,000 contracts of corn, 12,000 contracts of soybeans, and 6,000 contracts of wheat. Funds were also net buyers of 5,000 contracts of soyoil and 3,500 contracts of soymeal. The weekly Export Inspections report was bearish corn, neutral wheat, and neutral/bullish soybeans. Corn inspections...
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.