Japan is not alone in switching away from rice and toward other crops. Rice production has grown slower globally over the past ten years than other crops like corn, wheat and oilseeds. The real superstar has been oilseeds. Their dominance is due to several factors. On a pure calorie produced per area of land, wheat is number one followed by rice. Corn wins on a net-return basis but vegetable oil can deliver the highest calories on a consumer value basis. Moreover, that energy can be consumed more efficiently as either food or fuel.   While copra has the highest extractable oil content, crops like sunflower and soybeans have less oil but concurrently deliver valuable protein. They also fit well in agronomic terms. The world will c...

TAGS – Soy & Oilseeds, North America