FOB Prices and Freight Rate App (Updated 18 September)
Ocean Freight Comments for 17 September 2020: By Jay O'Neil Commodity Consulting It was another one of those weeks where Dry-Bulk freight tried to rally early but was forced to retreat at the week’s end. The paper trade is better supported than the physical market and it will be interes...
Interactive Ocean Freight Rates (Updated 18 September)
Ocean Freight Comments - 17 September 2020 By Jay O'Neil Commodity Consulting It was another one of those weeks where Dry-Bulk freight tried to rally early but was forced to retreat at the week’s end. The paper trade is better supported than the physical market and it will be int...
Rice Self-Sufficiency
It is noted that rice imports by Nigeria are declining, with increased border protections and larger domestic production to blame. However, the same dynamic is occurring in other major rice markets such as the Philippines, China, Saudi Arabia, and Cote d’Ivoire. Global rice trade hi...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA Egypt intends to have a commodity exchange in place for the first half of 2021. The exchange will trade wheat, vegetable oils, rice, and sugar. Invested capital will be close to $6 million. Delivery points will be set at specific governmen...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA Pakistan reports that the second 65,000 MT shipment of wheat has arrived from the Ukraine and another shipment of 69,000 MT is expected this week. These wheat imports are for the private sector. Inspection and clearance has been give...
Poor Advice for the Poor; Communism Kills COVID
Poor Advice for the Poor Former South African trade minister Rob Davies had some advice for developing countries that reflects the WTO’s leaderless, rudderless future. While correctly attacking the nativist policy of the Trump Administration, Davies doubled down on the nativist trade poli...
Notable Changes in U.S. Agricultural Trade
In the year of COVID, it is difficult to assign precise reasons for changes in trade flows but following are some observations about U.S. agricultural trade in the year to date: U.S. exports to India have taken the largest fall, but Bangladesh next door has seen the largest increase.&nb...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA Pakistan’s Competition Committee (CCP) has said that the government should reduce its role in the wheat sector and abandon its minimum support price fixing regime – this action should lead to an “increase in agricul...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA The seventh cargo of wheat from India to Afghanistan has arrived in Iran’s Chabahar port for onward transport to Afghanistan – 8,800 MT were received in 352 containers. To date about 43,000 MT of the 75,000 MT of wheat donated...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA A group of Pakistan flour mills reportedly booked 60,000 MT of Black Sea wheat for September shipment at $227 MT CNF. Areas of Pakistan that have been under attack from desert locusts are now said to be seeing outbreaks of fall armyw...
Trade Finance Hole; Trade Policy Shift
Trade Finance Hole The U.S. Export-Import Bank votes to authorize up to $450 million in coverage to include agricultural commodities sold to Iraq. The official financing support may have become more critical as Reuters reports that commodity trade financing by banks is “drying up at a rat...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA The government of Lebanon has said that while the Beirut grain silos were destroyed, there should be no shortage of grain as discharge of grain vessels will move to Tripoli port. The government adds that there is about 1.5 months whe...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA News from the Middle East and North Africa is limited this week due to the Eid al Adha holidays in the area – the holiday is normally four or five days, depending on the country. The World Bank is providing $202 million for the...
Pesticide Hesitancy; Unintended Slippage
Pesticide Hesitancy Vaccine hesitancy is the polite characterization of those who refuse vaccinations against disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) categorizes anti-vaxxers as one of the top ten health threats. The WHO’s sister agency, the Food & Agriculture Organization,...
Ag Review - July 2020
WPI's monthly publication features a review of the past month's market and policy developments. This issue covers such topics as the recovery in cattle prices, a new strategy in the corn market, a surge in the Chinese Dalian exchange, the role of soymeal in aquaculture, the importance of China...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA The recent USDA-FAS report on Saudi Arabia’s barley trade says Arasco Saudi is marketing complete feed – Wafi brand – at a price about 20 percent lower than the price of imported barley. The report adds that this low pric...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA Iran’s government has purchased 6 MMT of local wheat on its way to a total of 11 MMT. The wheat is being bought at a government set price to help control domestic wheat prices and to build wheat safety reserves. According to the late...
Cocoa Canary
Given their inelasticity, staple agricultural commodities are a poor indicator of economic health. However, luxury food items like cocoa may be a better indicator of the world’s recovery from the coronavirus. The December contract was up about 2 percent in today’s trading but remain...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA Saudi Arabia’s SAGO has sold parts of two of the four flour milling operations covered by their milling privatization program. The First Milling Company was sold to Raha Al Safi consortium for $540 million and the Third Milling...
China is Officially a Presidential Campaign Issue
Both President Trump and Democratic nominee former Vice President Joe Biden have set their rhetorical sights on China policy as the 2020 Presidential campaign heats up. The Biden campaign unveiled its latest economic blueprint, a plan to “Ensure the Future is Made in all of America by All...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA Egypt and Pakistan are working on the possibility of Egypt importing meat and dairy products. Reports say that work is being done on revising health certificates and developing veterinary protocols to make this possible. The poultry...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA In Pakistan, it appears likely that the government will import as much as 1.4 MMT of wheat. International wheat prices to Pakistan are expected to be as much as 25 percent higher than the current price for local wheat. The government says...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA According to the June EU MARS report, there are variable weather conditions for the cereal campaign in North Africa with the only area of concern being drought in the western and central Maghreb. For the second year in a row, Morocco...
After the Virus, Clouds of Locusts
So far 2020 has been difficult, to put it mildly. It started out on a high note with an apparent truce between the U.S. and China when the Phase One trade agreement was signed in mid-January. But it has been downhill from there. The big issue, of course, is the global coronavirus pandemic...
FOB Prices and Freight Rate App (Updated 18 September)
Ocean Freight Comments for 17 September 2020: By Jay O'Neil Commodity Consulting It was another one of those weeks where Dry-Bulk freight tried to rally early but was forced to retreat at the week’s end. The paper trade is better supported than the physical market and it will be interes...
Interactive Ocean Freight Rates (Updated 18 September)
Ocean Freight Comments - 17 September 2020 By Jay O'Neil Commodity Consulting It was another one of those weeks where Dry-Bulk freight tried to rally early but was forced to retreat at the week’s end. The paper trade is better supported than the physical market and it will be int...
Rice Self-Sufficiency
It is noted that rice imports by Nigeria are declining, with increased border protections and larger domestic production to blame. However, the same dynamic is occurring in other major rice markets such as the Philippines, China, Saudi Arabia, and Cote d’Ivoire. Global rice trade hi...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA Egypt intends to have a commodity exchange in place for the first half of 2021. The exchange will trade wheat, vegetable oils, rice, and sugar. Invested capital will be close to $6 million. Delivery points will be set at specific governmen...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA Pakistan reports that the second 65,000 MT shipment of wheat has arrived from the Ukraine and another shipment of 69,000 MT is expected this week. These wheat imports are for the private sector. Inspection and clearance has been give...
Poor Advice for the Poor; Communism Kills COVID
Poor Advice for the Poor Former South African trade minister Rob Davies had some advice for developing countries that reflects the WTO’s leaderless, rudderless future. While correctly attacking the nativist policy of the Trump Administration, Davies doubled down on the nativist trade poli...
Notable Changes in U.S. Agricultural Trade
In the year of COVID, it is difficult to assign precise reasons for changes in trade flows but following are some observations about U.S. agricultural trade in the year to date: U.S. exports to India have taken the largest fall, but Bangladesh next door has seen the largest increase.&nb...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA Pakistan’s Competition Committee (CCP) has said that the government should reduce its role in the wheat sector and abandon its minimum support price fixing regime – this action should lead to an “increase in agricul...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA The seventh cargo of wheat from India to Afghanistan has arrived in Iran’s Chabahar port for onward transport to Afghanistan – 8,800 MT were received in 352 containers. To date about 43,000 MT of the 75,000 MT of wheat donated...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA A group of Pakistan flour mills reportedly booked 60,000 MT of Black Sea wheat for September shipment at $227 MT CNF. Areas of Pakistan that have been under attack from desert locusts are now said to be seeing outbreaks of fall armyw...
Trade Finance Hole; Trade Policy Shift
Trade Finance Hole The U.S. Export-Import Bank votes to authorize up to $450 million in coverage to include agricultural commodities sold to Iraq. The official financing support may have become more critical as Reuters reports that commodity trade financing by banks is “drying up at a rat...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA The government of Lebanon has said that while the Beirut grain silos were destroyed, there should be no shortage of grain as discharge of grain vessels will move to Tripoli port. The government adds that there is about 1.5 months whe...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA News from the Middle East and North Africa is limited this week due to the Eid al Adha holidays in the area – the holiday is normally four or five days, depending on the country. The World Bank is providing $202 million for the...
Pesticide Hesitancy; Unintended Slippage
Pesticide Hesitancy Vaccine hesitancy is the polite characterization of those who refuse vaccinations against disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) categorizes anti-vaxxers as one of the top ten health threats. The WHO’s sister agency, the Food & Agriculture Organization,...
Ag Review - July 2020
WPI's monthly publication features a review of the past month's market and policy developments. This issue covers such topics as the recovery in cattle prices, a new strategy in the corn market, a surge in the Chinese Dalian exchange, the role of soymeal in aquaculture, the importance of China...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA The recent USDA-FAS report on Saudi Arabia’s barley trade says Arasco Saudi is marketing complete feed – Wafi brand – at a price about 20 percent lower than the price of imported barley. The report adds that this low pric...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA Iran’s government has purchased 6 MMT of local wheat on its way to a total of 11 MMT. The wheat is being bought at a government set price to help control domestic wheat prices and to build wheat safety reserves. According to the late...
Cocoa Canary
Given their inelasticity, staple agricultural commodities are a poor indicator of economic health. However, luxury food items like cocoa may be a better indicator of the world’s recovery from the coronavirus. The December contract was up about 2 percent in today’s trading but remain...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA Saudi Arabia’s SAGO has sold parts of two of the four flour milling operations covered by their milling privatization program. The First Milling Company was sold to Raha Al Safi consortium for $540 million and the Third Milling...
China is Officially a Presidential Campaign Issue
Both President Trump and Democratic nominee former Vice President Joe Biden have set their rhetorical sights on China policy as the 2020 Presidential campaign heats up. The Biden campaign unveiled its latest economic blueprint, a plan to “Ensure the Future is Made in all of America by All...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA Egypt and Pakistan are working on the possibility of Egypt importing meat and dairy products. Reports say that work is being done on revising health certificates and developing veterinary protocols to make this possible. The poultry...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA In Pakistan, it appears likely that the government will import as much as 1.4 MMT of wheat. International wheat prices to Pakistan are expected to be as much as 25 percent higher than the current price for local wheat. The government says...
Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa Regional Analysis
Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA According to the June EU MARS report, there are variable weather conditions for the cereal campaign in North Africa with the only area of concern being drought in the western and central Maghreb. For the second year in a row, Morocco...
After the Virus, Clouds of Locusts
So far 2020 has been difficult, to put it mildly. It started out on a high note with an apparent truce between the U.S. and China when the Phase One trade agreement was signed in mid-January. But it has been downhill from there. The big issue, of course, is the global coronavirus pandemic...