Larger China Soybean Crop Results in Lower Prices Last year China decided to boost its support to farmers growing soybeans while simultaneously reducing that provided for growing corn. The objective was to begin to reduce corn production in order to lower its huge stocks as well as decrease soybean imports. However, it appears the new policies may have the opposite effect. In Heilongjiang Province, the government reduced the payment for corn by 13.3 percent this year to about $303/hectare, and the payment for soybeans was increased to about $394/hectare. China’s soybean production this year is forecast to rise 11 percent from last year to 14.4 MMT, largely because of the higher subsidy. Because most of China’s domestic soybean...
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.
Key Market Insights The broad market is locked in on this week’s Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing, but this is no longer just a trade summit. Increasingly, the meeting is becoming tied directly to Iran, energy security, and the growing global economic fallout from disruptions through the Strai...