Regional Updates MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EAST COMMENTS Iran is reported to have bought as much as 1 MMT of wheat recently with quite a bit from Russia, but also significant purchases said to be from Germany. Iran’s total wheat imports for 12 months are expected to reach about 3 MMT. Reports are that recently there were 20 grain ships stalled outside Iranian ports that could not discharge due to payment problems to suppliers. According to news reports, most of the recent wheat purchases by Iran were not through major international grain companies but through middle eastern and Asian trading houses. Egypt will once again be sending grain inspectors to load ports to check on wheat cargoes. Load port inspections and approval had been stop...
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.