Commodity prices have been on the rise and most of the attention until this week has been on the supply side with worries about weather. In recent days it has become clear that countries have stepped up purchasing as a hedge against a resurgence of COVID-breaking supply chains. However, supply chains would be more resilient if they could operate properly. Food prices tend to be highest in places like Switzerland, the UK, Japan, and Hong Kong. This in part can be attributable to the overall cost of living but can also be aggravated by policies. Bananas do not grow well in northern Europe and cost just $0.94/Kg in the UK but $3.22/Kg in Switzerland, both high cost of living countries. The lowly onion is $1.04/Kg in Belgium but $2.33/Kg next...
What You Need to Know Today: USDA reports are delayed until Tuesday due to the federal holiday on Monday. Over the weekend, President Trump announced a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Russia warmly welcomed and confirmed this ceasefire by conducting more strikes against Ukraine. Specific...
On Saturday, 10 October, at a campaign rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, President Trump said that the U.S. and Mexico would come to terms on a new trade deal, and he said Canada does not need to be part of the deal. Trump called the coming agreement with Mexico “great” but gave no d...
Key Takeaways: The United States has steadily lost global wheat export market share since the 1970s, falling from the world's leading exporter to a projected fifth place in 2026/27. The rapid expansion of Black Sea wheat exports, driven by improved productivity and export infrastructure, has r...
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.