Moscow’s introduction of export constraints on major commodities is only part of the story of the return of the world’s breadbasket. The changes that have occurred since the collapse of the Soviet Union continue to reverberate across the country. Between 1992 and 1998, Russian cereals production fell by 57 percent. It is now 30 percent greater than its 1992 level. However, not all commodities have come back. Wheat production is up 82 percent from 1992. But Russia’s famous potato production is down 41 percent, and milk and barley production have declined. The export restrictions are supposedly to ensure food security but severe food insecurity in Russia is just 0.79 percent. There are plenty of calories and obesity has cli...
What You Need to Know Today: Russia rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, including a proposal to halt attacks on civilian shipping that could help restore grain flows from Ukrainian ports. Tyson Foods announced plans to permanently close its Joslin, Illinois, beef processing facili...
What You Need to Know Today: Wholesale inflation was flat in July, with the Producer Price Index (PPI) unchanged versus expectations for a 0.2 percent increase. Core PPI rose 0.2 percent, also below expectations. The softer inflation data has reduced the odds of a September interest rate incre...
From WPI Consulting
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.