U.S. ethanol production is plunging, and producers are demanding a fix. Some sources say that this week was the lowest ethanol output and highest stocks on record going back to 2010. Ethanol advocate and powerful Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is suggesting USDA/CCC funds could be used to stockpile ethanol, noting that the government is currently buying crude oil to store in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), easing a glut on the market caused by lower U.S. driving demand and a global oversupply caused by a disagreement between major producers Saudi Arabia and Russia over cuts to oil output. However, there are several issues related to the proposal. For one, ethanol is an additive and without it, the nation’s motor vehicles woul...
Infrastructure investment due diligence
On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.
Key Market Insights The broad market is locked in on this week’s Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing, but this is no longer just a trade summit. Increasingly, the meeting is becoming tied directly to Iran, energy security, and the growing global economic fallout from disruptions through the Strai...