Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA/AFRICA – MEA REGION Turkish authorities have decided, in their infinite wisdom, to ban the importation of any grain or coproduct containing GMO trait MON810 while allowing the importation if the trait is the stacked GMO trait of MON810 x NK603. This is a decision that is very difficult to understand. Algeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Sudan are countries expected to benefit from the EU donation of €25.5 million to help overcome the food crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine. Algeria says that in coming years it will be able to grow 50 percent of its soft wheat needs. Currently production of soft and durum wheat is at 4.1 MMT with total wheat impor...
Illuminating the value of technical research
On behalf of a commodity producer organization, WPI evaluated the outputs from a project that featured a $5 million investment into technical research over multiple years. WPI’s team captured the results of this extensive effort and synthesized them for presentation to the organization’s governing board; among the findings uncovered and presented for the first time was the development of genomic traits proven, via rigorous testing, to provide crop yield advantages of 50 percent or more to U.S. farmers in times of drought. Capturing measurable results from long-term efforts can be challenging. Educating clients on the dynamics of success measurement when quantifiable results are not readily available requires deep client-consultant collaboration and an ability to consider both near- and long-term client aspirations with market/policy dynamics – attributes that WPI brings to every consulting engagement.
What You Need to Know Today: The U.S. and Iran reportedly agreed to pause hostilities to allow vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz this week (theoretically, at least). There were some rumors of a possible Chinese blockade against Taiwan. Analysts are looking for the largest U.S. 1 June cor...
Key Takeaways: Indonesia will raise its biodiesel mandate from B40 to B50 on 1 July, increasing palm oil–based diesel blending to 50 percent. The policy supports domestic palm oil demand and reduces reliance on imported diesel. Indonesia’s biodiesel program has steadily expanded si...
Developer's Note: Last year, users pointed out differences between the 5-year averages reported in this app and what USDA estimates in its weekly report. The difference exists because WPI calculates average based on the last 5 years of observations for the current week. In cases where obs...