Macro Trends Lower Food Prices Push Inflation Down in January With China’s major holiday occurring just around the corner in February, the country typically experiences a run-up in consumer prices during January as a result of increased food expenditures. This is particularly true of fresh imported fruit such as cherries from Australia and Chile, apples, wine and other gourmet items that are usually in strong demand as gifts for family, friends, and work colleagues. Prior to the big downturn in China during the spring of 2017, food prices in January were commonly at least 2.5 percent higher on an annualized basis, and they rose as much as 4 percent in January 2016. During that same month in 2018 and 2019, however, the trend changed...
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.