World Perspectives

Spinning the WTO Wheels

India this week blocked a perfunctory motion at the WTO to move surplus WTO funds from 2021 into 2023. All other WTO members agreed that the funds could be used to cover the organization’s “mandatory and unavoidable expenses.” Reportedly, other WTO members characterized India’s obstinance as reflecting abuse of the consensus-based decision making of the organization. India covers just 2.2 percent of the organization’s funding, a paltry $4.4 million, or 0.0007 percent of its $570 billion in world trade benefits.   Granted, India is not the only member to “abuse” the consensus requirement. The organization lacks an appellate function because the U.S. continues to block it. And the dispute s...

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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.

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