Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA COMMENTS The government of Pakistan has announced that 400,000 MT of wheat will be imported, duty free, to cover the existing wheat shortage and to get wheat flour prices back to a more normal level. The importation will be allowed up until March when the next local wheat crop will be harvested. Syria is taking steps to try to control the fall of its currency value which is down by 50 percent in the past year. Only Syrian pounds will be allowed for transactions in Syria, but it is not certain how this will affect importers who pay in foreign currencies. Syria has also been suffering due to the dollar shortage in its major trading partner – Lebanon. Syria has also stopped...
Key Takeaways: Dry bulk markets remain mixed with Capesize vessels seeing continued pressure from weaker demand while fixtures and rate strength gradually increases towards the smaller vessel classes. Tanker markets are pulling back from their recent highs as tonnage moves out of the Mid...
Inflation is back in the driver’s seat, and agriculture is getting pulled in two directions. A stronger dollar is pressuring grains despite fresh Chinese buying, while renewed Middle East attacks lift crude oil. Higher energy prices can support commodities, but they also raise expenses an...
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.