Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA/AFRICA – MEA REGION Turkish authorities have decided, in their infinite wisdom, to ban the importation of any grain or coproduct containing GMO trait MON810 while allowing the importation if the trait is the stacked GMO trait of MON810 x NK603. This is a decision that is very difficult to understand. Algeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Sudan are countries expected to benefit from the EU donation of €25.5 million to help overcome the food crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine. Algeria says that in coming years it will be able to grow 50 percent of its soft wheat needs. Currently production of soft and durum wheat is at 4.1 MMT with total wheat impor...
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.