Philippines Agriculture; Future Trade Policy
Philippines Agriculture After remittances from overseas, agriculture and fisheries are the most important industries in the Philippines. A country of 114 million people of which one-quarter are engaged in agriculture. It is such an important sector that President Ferdinand “Bongbong&rdquo...
FOB Prices and Freight Rate App (Updated 27 Jan.)
Ocean Freight Comments - 27 January 2023 By Jay O'Neil Commodity Consulting It is the Lunar/Chinese New Year holiday period and all is quiet on the ocean freight front. Markets are thin and a bit soft, “sluggish” is a term commonly heard. The Baltic indices are a little lower with m...
Interactive Ocean Freight Rates (Updated 27 Jan.)
Ocean Freight Comments - 27 January 2023 By Jay O'Neil Commodity Consulting It is the Lunar/Chinese New Year holiday period and all is quiet on the ocean freight front. Markets are thin and a bit soft, “sluggish” is a term commonly heard. The Baltic indices are a little lower with m...
Japan Approves New Safeguard Triggers on U.S. Beef
Last week the Upper House of Japan’s Diet approved a new beef safeguard protocol which amends the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement (USJTA). That is the final step of approval needed for the agreement and the two countries are finalizing the implementation procedures. The protocol was negotiated...
Wheat Concerns in Asia
Asia has been adopting wheat as a food staple over many decades but the war In Ukraine has some worried about its supply reliability. Over the past dozen years, rice consumption has averaged a 0.86 percent annual increase while wheat consumption has been growing at twice that rate. Because clim...
Free Trade Dreaming
The U.S. Congress often accomplishes more during lame duck sessions, the period after an election and before new members are sworn in, because those retiring from office converge with moderates to accomplish fundamental needs. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) is retiring, and he has such a dream. H...
Alt-Meat Conundrum
Meat substitutes appear to be having trouble in the U.S. but perhaps not in Asia. Recent headlines related to the U.S. market imply a distribution chain that is a mile wide but just an inch deep. Here are some recent headlines: JBS pulled plug on plant-based meat division Planterra Foods Burnt...
No Rice Shortage
Food scarcity has been a frequent headline this year but with food inflation now dropping along with commodity prices, rice is an example of the scare that wasn’t. The monsoon was late starting in India, leading concerns that the world’s largest rice exporter would be driving up pri...
History Repeating is Okay
According to the news, multilateralism and globalization are in crisis. No less than U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently said, “it’s not hard to imagine a world where we break into these blocs again.” Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers said there’s...
Feed Demand from Stopping IUR
The WTO has been searching for limits in fisheries subsidies since at least 2001. There was agreement earlier this month to curb subsidies, though overfishing is expected to continue. Now the Biden Administration says it will continue to push for rules and enforcement against illegal and underr...
Russia Threatens Vegetable Oil
Oil palms require fertilizer every three months to maintain productivity but Russia’s war in Ukraine has threatened world supplies and driven up prices. This is particularly hurting Indonesia, the world’s largest supplier of palm oil. The imposition of export restrictions by Jakarta...
It’s More Than Food
In Japan, rice has been called the essence of culture; it has meant more than just food, though food security is the basis for policy interventions to protect it. Despite the nostalgia and market controls, rice on paddy fields is declining, giving way to more profitable wheat and soybeans that...
Flailing on Inflation; Japan’s Beef Craving; Incongruous Messaging
Flailing on Inflation Many months after inflation began eating into pocketbooks, the Biden Administration is on a full court press to try and address the problem. When it comes to food inflation, there is little that can be done. It simply costs more to grow, process, and ship product. When it...
Market Commentary: CBOT Falls Early on Russian Propaganda, Recovers to End Near Day’s High
The CBOT turned lower again on Wednesday with wheat leading the way on headlines that Russia may establish export corridors for Ukrainian grain/ag products. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister indicated the country is talking with the UN on potential food export corridors in the Black Sea, w...
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework: Trade Rules without Trade Access
On his trip to Asia, President Biden announced the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) for Prosperity, along with 12 countries in the region. The plan is structured to 1) establish rules governing trade in digital goods and services, 2) create commitments regarding supply chain to eliminate...
Misdiagnosed; Potemkin Trade Policy
Misdiagnosed U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said this week that, “Higher food and energy prices are having stagflationary effects, namely depressing output and spending and raising inflation all around the world.” She pushed for increased international food aid and advised int...
Market Commentary: CBOT Ends Week Mixed Amid Bullish U.S., Brazilian Weather
Light volume trade, profit taking, and spread reversals led to a mixed CBOT on Friday. Wheat futures were sharply lower as showers across the Plains boosted the crop outlook and prompted profit taking and reversal of wheat/corn spreads. Corn pushed higher and scored a new contract high while so...
Market Commentary: Palm Oil Export Ban Create Soyoil High; Funds Sell Corn, Soybeans Despite Hot, Dry Brazilian Weather
The CFTC was mostly lower to end the week with funds emerging as profit-takers in corn, soybeans, and Chicago wheat. The soyoil market scored a new contract high on news of a palm oil export ban from Indonesia, however, and the KCBT wheat market strengthened on continued poor weather forecasts...
Happy 10th Anniversary KORUS FTA
Last week’s WASDE raised the forecast for beef export. A large reason was Korea, so far the top export destination for U.S. beef. Indeed, today is the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-Korea free trade agreement. No other commodity has benefited as much as beef. Over the span of the agreement,...
Money Talks; Cultural Animal Welfare; GMO’s are Safer
Money Talks The Conference Board notes that it has been a record year for shareholder proposals involving environmental and social initiatives. However, the outcome of such an initiative at Tysons Foods shows that most shareholders are focused on a company’s bottom line. They voted overwh...
Not so Sweet; Not so Green
Not so Sweet The WTO last month sided with Australia, Brazil, and Guatemala that India’s sugar subsidies were distorting and illegal. India has appealed the ruling knowing that the WTO’s Appellate Panel is non-functioning, thus putting the case in limbo. However, Brazil intends to r...
Fossil Fuel Foibles; Broken Mirrors; Biden on Asia; Threats on the Farm
Fossil Fuel Foibles Fossil fuels and agriculture are highly integrated, including via fuel, chemical inputs, and commodity fund valuations. Thus, it is important to watch climate campaigners attempting to use regulatory approaches toward reducing U.S. carbon emissions. Biden Administration appo...
Workers of World United
The analytics company CultureX says that people are more likely to quit their jobs due to a toxic workplace culture than due to their salary. That may be true but a Bain & Company survey of 20,000 workers in ten countries found that compensation was the number one issue for employees. This...
Three-Year Rebuild
The price of palm oil has been rising since the start of 2021, reaching a local price roughly double the average of the previous dozen years. Production in 2021 was down around 5 percent from the historical average, but the lowest since 2016. Malaysian palm oil exports were down nearly 11...
Philippines Agriculture; Future Trade Policy
Philippines Agriculture After remittances from overseas, agriculture and fisheries are the most important industries in the Philippines. A country of 114 million people of which one-quarter are engaged in agriculture. It is such an important sector that President Ferdinand “Bongbong&rdquo...
FOB Prices and Freight Rate App (Updated 27 Jan.)
Ocean Freight Comments - 27 January 2023 By Jay O'Neil Commodity Consulting It is the Lunar/Chinese New Year holiday period and all is quiet on the ocean freight front. Markets are thin and a bit soft, “sluggish” is a term commonly heard. The Baltic indices are a little lower with m...
Interactive Ocean Freight Rates (Updated 27 Jan.)
Ocean Freight Comments - 27 January 2023 By Jay O'Neil Commodity Consulting It is the Lunar/Chinese New Year holiday period and all is quiet on the ocean freight front. Markets are thin and a bit soft, “sluggish” is a term commonly heard. The Baltic indices are a little lower with m...
Japan Approves New Safeguard Triggers on U.S. Beef
Last week the Upper House of Japan’s Diet approved a new beef safeguard protocol which amends the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement (USJTA). That is the final step of approval needed for the agreement and the two countries are finalizing the implementation procedures. The protocol was negotiated...
Wheat Concerns in Asia
Asia has been adopting wheat as a food staple over many decades but the war In Ukraine has some worried about its supply reliability. Over the past dozen years, rice consumption has averaged a 0.86 percent annual increase while wheat consumption has been growing at twice that rate. Because clim...
Free Trade Dreaming
The U.S. Congress often accomplishes more during lame duck sessions, the period after an election and before new members are sworn in, because those retiring from office converge with moderates to accomplish fundamental needs. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) is retiring, and he has such a dream. H...
Alt-Meat Conundrum
Meat substitutes appear to be having trouble in the U.S. but perhaps not in Asia. Recent headlines related to the U.S. market imply a distribution chain that is a mile wide but just an inch deep. Here are some recent headlines: JBS pulled plug on plant-based meat division Planterra Foods Burnt...
No Rice Shortage
Food scarcity has been a frequent headline this year but with food inflation now dropping along with commodity prices, rice is an example of the scare that wasn’t. The monsoon was late starting in India, leading concerns that the world’s largest rice exporter would be driving up pri...
History Repeating is Okay
According to the news, multilateralism and globalization are in crisis. No less than U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently said, “it’s not hard to imagine a world where we break into these blocs again.” Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers said there’s...
Feed Demand from Stopping IUR
The WTO has been searching for limits in fisheries subsidies since at least 2001. There was agreement earlier this month to curb subsidies, though overfishing is expected to continue. Now the Biden Administration says it will continue to push for rules and enforcement against illegal and underr...
Russia Threatens Vegetable Oil
Oil palms require fertilizer every three months to maintain productivity but Russia’s war in Ukraine has threatened world supplies and driven up prices. This is particularly hurting Indonesia, the world’s largest supplier of palm oil. The imposition of export restrictions by Jakarta...
It’s More Than Food
In Japan, rice has been called the essence of culture; it has meant more than just food, though food security is the basis for policy interventions to protect it. Despite the nostalgia and market controls, rice on paddy fields is declining, giving way to more profitable wheat and soybeans that...
Flailing on Inflation; Japan’s Beef Craving; Incongruous Messaging
Flailing on Inflation Many months after inflation began eating into pocketbooks, the Biden Administration is on a full court press to try and address the problem. When it comes to food inflation, there is little that can be done. It simply costs more to grow, process, and ship product. When it...
Market Commentary: CBOT Falls Early on Russian Propaganda, Recovers to End Near Day’s High
The CBOT turned lower again on Wednesday with wheat leading the way on headlines that Russia may establish export corridors for Ukrainian grain/ag products. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister indicated the country is talking with the UN on potential food export corridors in the Black Sea, w...
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework: Trade Rules without Trade Access
On his trip to Asia, President Biden announced the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) for Prosperity, along with 12 countries in the region. The plan is structured to 1) establish rules governing trade in digital goods and services, 2) create commitments regarding supply chain to eliminate...
Misdiagnosed; Potemkin Trade Policy
Misdiagnosed U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said this week that, “Higher food and energy prices are having stagflationary effects, namely depressing output and spending and raising inflation all around the world.” She pushed for increased international food aid and advised int...
Market Commentary: CBOT Ends Week Mixed Amid Bullish U.S., Brazilian Weather
Light volume trade, profit taking, and spread reversals led to a mixed CBOT on Friday. Wheat futures were sharply lower as showers across the Plains boosted the crop outlook and prompted profit taking and reversal of wheat/corn spreads. Corn pushed higher and scored a new contract high while so...
Market Commentary: Palm Oil Export Ban Create Soyoil High; Funds Sell Corn, Soybeans Despite Hot, Dry Brazilian Weather
The CFTC was mostly lower to end the week with funds emerging as profit-takers in corn, soybeans, and Chicago wheat. The soyoil market scored a new contract high on news of a palm oil export ban from Indonesia, however, and the KCBT wheat market strengthened on continued poor weather forecasts...
Happy 10th Anniversary KORUS FTA
Last week’s WASDE raised the forecast for beef export. A large reason was Korea, so far the top export destination for U.S. beef. Indeed, today is the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-Korea free trade agreement. No other commodity has benefited as much as beef. Over the span of the agreement,...
Money Talks; Cultural Animal Welfare; GMO’s are Safer
Money Talks The Conference Board notes that it has been a record year for shareholder proposals involving environmental and social initiatives. However, the outcome of such an initiative at Tysons Foods shows that most shareholders are focused on a company’s bottom line. They voted overwh...
Not so Sweet; Not so Green
Not so Sweet The WTO last month sided with Australia, Brazil, and Guatemala that India’s sugar subsidies were distorting and illegal. India has appealed the ruling knowing that the WTO’s Appellate Panel is non-functioning, thus putting the case in limbo. However, Brazil intends to r...
Fossil Fuel Foibles; Broken Mirrors; Biden on Asia; Threats on the Farm
Fossil Fuel Foibles Fossil fuels and agriculture are highly integrated, including via fuel, chemical inputs, and commodity fund valuations. Thus, it is important to watch climate campaigners attempting to use regulatory approaches toward reducing U.S. carbon emissions. Biden Administration appo...
Workers of World United
The analytics company CultureX says that people are more likely to quit their jobs due to a toxic workplace culture than due to their salary. That may be true but a Bain & Company survey of 20,000 workers in ten countries found that compensation was the number one issue for employees. This...
Three-Year Rebuild
The price of palm oil has been rising since the start of 2021, reaching a local price roughly double the average of the previous dozen years. Production in 2021 was down around 5 percent from the historical average, but the lowest since 2016. Malaysian palm oil exports were down nearly 11...