The Egyptian Company for Agriculture and Rural Development (ECARD), a government agency, will restart its contract growing program with the main focus on one particular crop. It is hoped that this effort will help substantially reduce the need for imported stocks. Regional Updates MIDDLE EAST/MEDITERRANEAN COMMENTS As most involved have experienced, arbitration is a common way to settle disputes in the grain trade, mainly via GAFTA or FOSFA arbitration and NAEGA for U.S FOB shipments. Until now, such mediation with companies in Saudi Arabia did not go well due to that country’s own arbitration and enforcement laws that did not conform much to international standards. However, Saudi Arabia now has a new arbitration law that is based large...
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.