Regional News Perhaps the biggest news in the world – and especially Black Sea – grain markets is Monday’s shipment of 26 KMT of corn from Ukraine via the Black Sea. This is the first sea-based export of grain by Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in February 2022. The vessel is destined for Tripoli, Lebanon and will reportedly soon be followed by multiple other vessels carrying grain to global destinations. Reports late last week indicated there were 17 ships in the Ukrainian Port of Odessa, including 16 loaded with 580 KMT of grain. Insurer Lloyd’s of London said it is ready to insure the export of Ukrainian grain vessels across the Black Sea. Insurance premiums are now 5 percent of the value of...
Illuminating the value of technical research
On behalf of a commodity producer organization, WPI evaluated the outputs from a project that featured a $5 million investment into technical research over multiple years. WPI’s team captured the results of this extensive effort and synthesized them for presentation to the organization’s governing board; among the findings uncovered and presented for the first time was the development of genomic traits proven, via rigorous testing, to provide crop yield advantages of 50 percent or more to U.S. farmers in times of drought. Capturing measurable results from long-term efforts can be challenging. Educating clients on the dynamics of success measurement when quantifiable results are not readily available requires deep client-consultant collaboration and an ability to consider both near- and long-term client aspirations with market/policy dynamics – attributes that WPI brings to every consulting engagement.