India Considering Proposal to Lower Vegoil Import Tariff Rates The government of India yesterday indicated it is considering reducing tariff rates for imports of vegoils. The initiative is aimed at reducing vegoil prices to consumers since vegoil prices have more than doubled this year. Vegoils contribute a major share of the calories consumed by India’s people, a large share of which are vegetarian. India currently applies tariff rates of 32.5 percent for palm oil and 35 percent for soyoil. The high rates ostensibly are aimed at protecting domestic oilseed producers and processors, but also serve as an important source of revenue to the government. India is the world’s largest importer of vegoils that supply 65 percent of dom...
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.