Regional News Russia continues to build its troop presence on the border with Ukraine and has mobilized some 170,000 troops to the region. That is 70,000 more troops than were on the border during last year’s spring build-up. Presidents Putin and Biden are expected to talk Tuesday, but few expect the Russian president to back down on the increasing military presence near Ukraine. Ukraine’s 2021/22 grain exports total 26.08 MMT, up 17 percent YTD, including 14.6 MMT of wheat and 6.21 MMT of corn. Forecasts are for the country’s 2021/22 grain export program to reach 62.4 MMT, up 39 percent from the prior year. Russian wheat exports are down 17 percent YTD at 18 MMT, through 25 November. Milling Wh...
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.