Mediterranean/Middle East/North Africa/Africa – MEA Region Syria’s grain production was down by 17 percent in 2024 and due to dry weather and security production does not look any better for 2025, all according to the latest FAO report on Syria. In 2024, wheat production was at 1.9 MMT, barley 1.1 MMT, and maize 350,000 MT – about 55 percent of total consumption. Farmers have reduced cereal planting and switched to higher value spice type crops. Cereal imports are expected to be close to 2.5 MMT with most being wheat imports for bread production. Egypt is developing plans for recycling as much as 65 MMT of agricultural and food waste into feed stock for animals. Egypt currently imports as much as 90 percent of the grain an...
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.