MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA It is reported in Egypt that the government cabinet supports a plan to grant tariff exemption to grain importers for the 14 percent freight VAT charge. The freight VAT, based on estimated freight costs, has created serious cost premiums for export from countries with longer shipping distances and higher freight costs. It has been particularly bad for shippers using containers where the VAT could amount to several dollars per MT. Officials in Iraq said that Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey have shown some interest in exports of Iraq barley. As much as 700,000 MT of barley is expected to be put up for sale. It is expected that Iraq will open an international tender for the sale of its barley. Numb...
From WPI Consulting
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.