The consultancy Sovecon this week increased its estimate of the Russian wheat crop to 94.7 MMT. That is 7.6 percent more than USDA's guess at 88 MMT and if realized, it would be nearly 20 MMT larger than Russia’s 2021/22 wheat crop. An astounding level of increase. By contrast, the consultancy Agritel expects the French wheat crop to fall by 5.6 percent this year to 33.44 MMT. FranceAgriMer’s latest estimate calls for a crop of 32.9 MMT due to the adverse impacts of frost, drought and very high temperatures. Agritel also has a higher export estimate at 10.95 MMT. The company’s survey of industry indicates larger wheat exports due to less competition from Ukraine. The question is whether Russia will present increased...
Markets are getting a quarter-end reality check as September comes to a close. Growth, inflation and interest rates remain central to the macro outlook, while tight diesel supplies keep pressure on the cost of moving goods. States are stepping in with relief, but policy changes alone cannot reb...
Key Takeaways: Russia recently said it would convert existing export terminals in the Baltic and Arctic Seas to handle grain as the Black and Azov Seas remain closed to maritime trade. Futures markets reacted negatively to this news, but does the conversion matter to short-term and long-...
Russian Grain Markets: 21–25 September 2026 During the third week of September, the Russian grain market remained bearish. For the first time since 2018, average 3rd-grade milling wheat prices dropped below RUB 10,000/t. This poses a serious threat to the Russian agricultural sector, as l...
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.