Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA/AFRICA – MEA REGION Morocco’s Ministry of Agriculture said that 2023 cereals production should increase by 62 percent compared to the low drought affected crop of 2022. Total production is seen at 5.5 MMT up from 3.4 MMT. Soft wheat production will be at 3 MMT, durum wheat at 1.2 MMT, and barley at 1.3 MMT. So far in 2023, rainfall is up by 13 percent but is still 36 percent below the normal average. Turkey’s Ziraat Bank is said to be the most likely to become banking intermediary for Russian grain export payments. If agreed to, all transactions would need U.S. and UN approval; Ziraat Bank may also be involved in the exports of Russian fertilizer. Turkey has...
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.