Author: Michael Ferrari, PhD
VP, Applied Technology & Research

Dryness across eastern China in recent months is likely to have an acute effect on the current winter wheat crop, and there are also anticipated effects on the coming spring wheat & corn plantings.  The above map from the Foreign Agriculture Service shows that the drought is most [...]

The Southern Oscillation Index value for January2011 was again strongly entrenched in positive phase (chart from the Australia Bureau of Met).

La Nina conditions to continue, with effects on prices of everything from corn to coal.  Weather Trends map below shows current snapshot of Pacific cold SST anomalies.
 
 
 
 

Author: Michael Ferrari, PhD
VP, Applied Technology & Research
If the recent widespread flooding across Queensland wasn’t enough, Cyclone Yasi just made landfall.  This impressive system will only add to the market uncertainty, particularly in the commodity sector.

The sugar sector has wasted no time in reacting; we are also expecting additional strength in coal.  The March ICE [...]

I’ll be at the American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting from Jan 24-27.  I will be giving a talk on Tuesday on 2010 weather events and impacts to the global food supply chain, and a poster on Wednesday discussing how the Weather Trends long range forecast can be used as a tool in [...]

Author: Michael Ferrari, PhD
VP, Applied Technology & Research
 

(chart from FINVIZ.com)
The chart above shows the run in raw sugar futures over the last several months.  Around mid (northern hemisphere) summer, the market started to creep upwards, reaching a high of around 33 cents in early October.  According to an article in Bloomberg today, estimates surrounding sugar [...]

Author: Michael Ferrari, PhD
VP, Applied Technology & Research
The Agricultural Outlook Americas conference was held in Boston this week.  This year’s event brought together a mix of growers, investors and technologists, with discussions ranging from  new investments on the farm to currency hedges.  The three day event contained too many interesting discussion [...]