Based on conversations with our market sources, there are actually two companies involved in the recently reported major soybean smuggling operation in China that was uncovered by the Qingdao City customs unit in 2014. Oilseeds Massive Soybean Smuggling Operation Revealed China's Legal Daily recently disclosed a major soybean smuggling operation uncovered by the Qingdao City customs agency in 2014. According to the report and other media sources, the volume of soybeans smuggled was worth 5.46 billion RMB (approximately $870 million). While the accused parties have not been publicly identified, the investigation revealed that a major trading company was involved. China Customs had become aware of this activity after reviewing soybean impo...
What You Need to Know Today: The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at 3.75 to 4.0 percent Wednesday, with two officials dissenting in favor of a 25-basis-point increase. The Fed upgraded its assessment of economic growth from "solid" to "strong" but adopted a more patient approa...
Key Takeaways: Expected growth in U.S. soybean crushing capacity and output, driven by biofuel demand, will increase domestic soymeal supplies, with production growth significantly outpacing demand. WPI forecasts soymeal production increasing from 65.8 million short tons in 2026/27 to 70.5 mil...
Russian Grain Markets: 19–23 October 2026 The Russian grain market continued its recovery during the week, although prices remained volatile across regions. Wheat was notably bullish, while feed barley and corn were slower to appreciate, primarily because of weaker export demand amid logi...
From WPI Consulting
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.