News Updates MAIZE HOARDING IN KENYA Both maize and maize flour have disappeared from Kenya's market as local buyers have virtually cleaned out all stores in the country. Traders are anticipating higher prices for maize in the coming weeks and are thus keeping their supplies in warehouses. According to local sources, the maize flour that is available is being sold at double the normal market price.The largest miller in Kenya unofficially said that it had to raise its prices because of the increase in maize prices, which are up nearly 55 percent over prices from two weeks ago. It also said that the escalating maize prices and supply shortage are superficial; they are the result of farmers and traders holding onto their stocks in anticipati...
What You Need to Know Today: Cattle futures extended their sharp selloff Friday as weakening cash cattle prices, deteriorating feedlot profitability, and reduced packer demand continued to weigh on the market. The inability of futures to sustain a rally following last week's bullish Cattle on...
As predicted, the Federal Reserve held rates steady at the last meeting before the midterm elections, likely in part because of the election (see WPI 19 October and 22 September). The decision comes at the tail end of a midterm election cycle that has been marked by the two parties campaigning...
Key Takeaways: WPI’s new EU rapeseed crushing margin models point to weaker processing returns over the next four months due to higher rapeseed procurement costs and weaker product values. Statistical forecasts call for German crushing margins to decline from €181/MT to €...
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.