Few markets are as distorted as those involving agriculture. Governments typically impose higher tariffs on food to support domestic production even when it is at the expense of consumer welfare. Some governments will even starve their own people during wars or due to geopolitical objectives. Additionally, food is substitutable and so if wheat is expensive there may be a switch to rice or some other lower priced grain. Consequently, price is not always a good indicator of trade opportunities. For example, in Turkey the producer price of wheat is the equivalent of $199.60/MT and the country imports the equivalent of 11.8 MT/per capita of wheat. Meanwhile, in Oman the local value of wheat is a whopping $929.80/MT and yet imports are le...
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.
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...
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday. In July, the CPI rose 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy, or the “core” infla...
We have described the long-term investment climate in crop and livestock production, using data primarily from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The data provided background on the current investment climate and outlook for agricultural capital formation. Our conclusion was that investment...