Coronavirus and the Impact on F&A

The coronavirus pandemic is impacting various food & agribusiness sectors in various ways. This page aims to provide updated sector- and region-based analysis by our global team of F&A analysts.

Cross-Sectoral

Brazil Agribusiness Rethinks the Future: Covid-19 Brings Short-Term and Long-Term Changes (5 October)

As Covid-19 emerged in Brazil in March this year, questions were raised all over the world about the country’s ability to deal with the pandemic while maintaining the production and export of commodities to the world market. To date, Brazil has not let markets down. Nevertheless, the pandemic has created some real challenges for Brazilian food and agribusiness.

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Australia Agribusiness Monthly & Covid-19 Update Octber 2020 (1 October)

This monthly update provides a market outlook for dairy, beef, sheepmeat, and other key commodities, and gives an overview of what developments to watch in the weeks to come.

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New Zealand Agribusiness Monthly & Covid-19 Update October 2020 (1 October)

This monthly update provides a market outlook for dairy, beef, sheepmeat, and other key commodities, and gives an overview of what developments to watch in the weeks to come.

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Australia Agribusiness Monthly & Covid-19 Update September 2020 (3 September)

This monthly update provides a market outlook for dairy, beef, sheepmeat, and other key commodities, and gives an overview of what developments to watch in the weeks to come.

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New Zealand Agribusiness Monthly & Covid-19 Update September 2020 (3 September)

This monthly update provides a market outlook for dairy, beef, sheepmeat, and other key commodities, and gives an overview of what developments to watch in the weeks to come.

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Pivotal Ports: Delivering in Uncertain Times (21 May)

During the first quarter of this year, agribusiness players all over the world kept a close eye on China. Specifically, attention was focused on how the coronavirus crisis would impact demand for commodity imports and whether the flow of imports would suffer from logistical problems resulting from the crisis. Today, we are witnessing something of a reversal of this process. With China apparently emerging from the crisis with its appetite for agri imports as strong as ever, all eyes have now turned to its major suppliers, the US, Brazil, and Argentina. Will Brazil be able to maintain the flow of exports over the coming months as it deals with the crisis?

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Podcast: Has the 'Corona-Crisis' Developed as Expected for Australian F&A? (20 May)

Tim Hunt and Dennis Voznesenski review the first four months of the crisis and its impact on Australian farmers.

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Argentina's Agribusiness Faces up to the Coronavirus Crisis (22 April)

Argentina is the world’s leading soymeal and soy oil exporter, and also ranks among the world's top exporters of soybeans (third), corn (third), and beef (fourth). Its capacity to maintain production and exports therefore has a key influence on the global markets for these commodities. This brief article highlights the measures being taken by the government and by commercial agribusiness players in the country's grain & oilseed and beef sectors to address operational challenges associated with the coronavirus pandemic.

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Initial Impacts of Covid-19 on the Brazilian Consumer (17 April)

The coronavirus pandemic has inflicted significant pain on the Brazilian consumer, with unemployment rising and incomes set to decline in the coming months. Beyond the initial shock of the lockdown period, in which supermarkets and pharmacies have done well, consumer habits are set to change and resemble some of the trends seen during the last recession in 2015-2016.

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Covid-19 Coping Strategies for Beverage Companies in China (17 April)

New tactics, such as ‘Community commerce’, have emerged as a strategy to overcome last-mile delivery challenges during the Covid-19 crisis in China. Community commerce also has the potential to become part of a long-term direct-to-consumer strategy for beverage companies.

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European Food Supply: Business Is Far From Usual (14 April)

European food supply: crops and animals continue to grow following lockdowns, but business is far from usual.

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Impact of Coronavirus on Southeast Asian Food & Agribusiness (14 April)

Southeast Asia will face far-reaching challenges from the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak, such as economic decline, reduced out-of-home consumption, and supply chains disruptions, even beyond the lockdowns. After panic buying, consumers will shift from foodservice to retail and – after a short, suppressed splurge (if any) – to recession-period spending. Production will also be affected, albeit less, but transporting goods will continue to experience problems due to the movement measures and supply chains disruptions. Rabobank will provide more elaboration on the specific impacts to each sector in its respective section.

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Catching up With US Food Demand During the Coronavirus Crisis (3 April)

The widespread closures of restaurants, hotels, and other foodservice outlets resulting from the coronavirus pandemic have led to a dislocation in food demand. In this note, we look at how different sectors are responding to this dislocation and the challenges food processors are facing to convert production from foodservice to retail items, aiming to ensure supply at grocery stores and offset losses from lower foodservice activity.

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Impact of Coronavirus on Indian Food & Agribusiness (1 April)

The spread of the coronavirus started relatively late in India, compared with other countries. With a 21-day lockdown announced by government, the impact on Indian food & agri has started. The impact varies in the different sectors. 

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Brazilian Agribusiness: Facing the Coronavirus Crisis in the Field (27 March)

As the world´s leading exporter of a number of agricultural commodities, Brazil´s capacity to maintain production and exports during the coronavirus crisis is a key influence on the global markets for these commodities and a key concern across the supply chain. This brief report focuses on the operational challenges that brings.

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Coronavirus in Europe: Foodservice Shutdown Impacts All F&A Sectors (26 March)

As of mid-March, most European governments have banned eating out, and this disruption to the foodservice industry affects the entire food & agribusiness (F&A) value chain. In this report, Rabobank gives an overview of the consequences of this disruption for all European F&A sectors, which differ from sector to sector, country to country, and product to product.

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Podcast: Shanghai Talking – A Local View of China’s Recovery From Coronavirus (18 March)

Sandy Chen, Rabobank’s Senior Dairy Analyst in China, talks to Tim Hunt about the impact that coronavirus has had on the economy and food sales and how long recovery will take.

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Further Assessing the Impact and Implications of Coronavirus on China's F&A (5 March)

Coronavirus-related supply chain disruptions have eased somewhat, but still remain. We expect the impact of disruption to spread across the whole value chain and to last for at least another four months.

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Podcast: Slow Recovery – Coronavirus Will Extend the Feed-Demand Hangover (3 March)

China G&O analyst Lief Chiang and ACMR analyst Michael Magdovitz discuss the spread of coronavirus and the threat it poses to already fragile Chinese and global feed demand. Lief and Michael then consider the implications of coronavirus on China’s 'phase-one' trade deal compliance, US summer plantings, and CBOT Corn and Soybean prices through 2020.

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Podcast: Coronavirus - How Worried Should We Be? (6 February)

Tim Hunt and Michael Harvey explore the current and potential impacts of coronavirus on Australia and New Zealand's F&A industries.

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Recent Coronavirus Impacts on Chinese F&A (6 February)

China’s industries, including F&A, are bearing the immediate brunt of the coronavirus outbreak. The overall impact – which is most severe for foodservice and on-trade channels – could be more serious and longer-lasting if the virus is not contained within Q1 2020. Disruptions are being experienced across the entire F&A supply chain. However, quick and effective containment of the virus could lead to a rapid bounce-back, as experienced after the SARS outbreak in 2003.

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Agri Commodity Markets Research

Podcast: Threading Our Way Through Covid-19 (15 April)

Angus Gidley-Baird and Charles Clack discuss the impact of Covid-19 on the Australian wool and cotton markets and what it means for the short-term outlook.

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Animal Protein

New Opportunities for Animal Protein in China: Looking Beyond Covid-19 and African Swine Fever (17 September)

China’s animal protein market has experienced great volatility in recent years. African swine fever (ASF), Covid-19, and shifts in distribution channels are not only reshaping the supply side, but also the way consumers behave. Some of these changes will continue to play out over the longer term.

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Podcast: Beef Bouncing Back from Initial Covid-19 Impact (21 August)

Animal protein analysts Don Close and Dustin Aherin discuss the beef market's recovery from the early impact of the global pandemic. The two also look ahead to a trade market marked with uncertainty.

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African Swine Fever: A Global Update – Covid-19 Overshadows ASF, but ASF’s Influence Prevails (18 June)

African swine fever remains the dominant issue in global animal protein – as it has been since 2018. But Covid-19 further distorts the outlook, constraining production, consumption, and trade.

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Podcast: Australian Lamb Industry – Pushing Its Way Through Covid-19 (12 June)

Driven by a dramatic drop in production, the Australian lamb industry has seen prices remain very strong while many commodities have seen disruption as a result of Covid-19, but are there clouds on the horizon? Angus Gidley-Baird and Charles Clack look at the lamb industry and how it is fairing under Covid-19.

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Beef Quarterly Q2 2020: Beef During and Beyond Covid-19 (27 May)

In this quarterly, we provide an update on how the global spread of Covid-19 has caused major disruptions to beef supply chains and distribution channels and also comment on what beef demand may look like in a slower economy post Covid-19.

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Podcast: Covid-19 and the US Beef Market (4 May)

The US beef industry has seen a tumultuous start to 2020 as a result of Covid-19, with dramatic drops in futures prices, the closure of the restaurant trade, and more recently, a number of plant closures. US analyst Don Close talks with Angus Gidley-Baird and Blake Holgate about the situation and how this might affect Australian and NZ beef exports.

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Covid-19's Impacts on Southeast Asian Animal Protein Markets (27 April)

Rabobank expects declines in Southeast Asian animal protein consumption across the board this year as a result of the quarantine measures and negative economic growth resulting from Covid-19.

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Podcast: Where’s the Meat? Covid-19 and the Red Meat Industry (26 March)

Angus Gidley-Baird and Blake Holgate talk about the impact Covid-19 is having on the Australian and New Zealand red meat industries.

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Coronavirus Impacts Chinese Animal Protein Markets (21 February)

Coronavirus (or Covid-19) outbreaks have had a sudden and unexpected impact on Chinese people’s lives and China’s economy.

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Beverages

Beverage Market Buzz September 2020: Beverage Company Responses to the Covid-19 Crisis (17 September)

The Covid-19 crisis has presented a wide array of challenges for beverage companies this year. “Consumption occasions were lost, logistics were complicated, and traditional routes to market were compromised. But through these difficult times, beverage companies around the world have shown surprising resiliency and creativity in responding to these challenges,” according to Stephen Rannekleiv, Global Strategist – Beverages.’

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Covid-19 Effects on Coffee: What Long-Term Changes Do We Expect? (8 June)

Traditional buying patterns in the coffee market have been turned upside down by Covid-19, according to the Rabobank report, ‘Covid-19 Effects on Coffee.’

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Podcast: Will the Covid-19 Crisis Crush Craft Beer? (1 May)

A recent survey of US craft brewers suggests that 60% of US craft breweries will close if severe social distancing guidelines aren’t lifted by June. As chief economist for the Brewers Association, Bart Watson (Dr. Watson, actually) was one of the people who produced that survey. With help from Bart, we take the pulse of the craft beer business and discuss whether we will recognize it after the Covid-19 crisis is over.

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From Just in Time to Just in Case: Contingency Plans for the Beer Industry (3 April)

Under the growing threat of the coronavirus, on-premise locations across the world are closing, and beer purchases are moving to the retail channel. Given the swiftness of these changes, the biggest concern for brewers currently is how to manage the changes in demand. As the Covid-19 crisis expands across the globe, however, the risks to brewers’ supply chains are increasing. Currently, few problems in the supply chain are being reported, but these are exceptional and unprecedented times. Making contingency plans today could be beneficial tomorrow if the crisis expands.

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Will The Covid-19 Crisis Change Alcohol E-Commerce Forever? Like, Forever Ever? (2 April)

Even as the “stock-up” boom starts to subside, many e-commerce channels continue to grow at unprecedented rates. While it is still too early to determine if and to what extent consumers will continue buying alcohol online at these elevated levels once the Covid-19 pandemic has passed, this crisis will permanently change the alcohol e-commerce landscape. What is driving that change, however, may surprise you.

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Podcast: Covid-19 - How Each Region Is Dealing With the Crisis (25 March)

With the Covid-19 pandemic disrupting every aspect of daily life and business around the globe, we turned to our international team (Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America) for a briefing on how Covid-19 is impacting consumers and businesses in their regions and what steps governments are taking to control its spread.

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Beverages in the Time of Covid-19 (20 March)

The first cases of coronavirus in the US were recorded in January 2020, but the dramatic changes in consumer behavior did not begin until March. Events, travel, schools, and professional sports have come to a standstill, and there are widespread bans on dining in restaurants and bars in many cities and states.

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Covid-19's Impact on Beverages in the Off-Premise and On-Premise (20 March)

In this article we break down how coronavirus so far has impacted the US beverage landscape by channel: off-premise and on-premise. We have also released a companion article, “Initial Impacts of Covid-19 on the US Beverage Industry” that offers more detail on the unique challenges that each beverage category is facing in the US.

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Coronavirus Deals a Painful Blow to China's Wine Industry (12 March)

The Chinese wine industry experienced a tough year in 2019, and was hoping for a fresh start in 2020. However, the coronavirus has taken a dramatic toll on consumption, and disrupted the entire value chain of the wine industry. If the situation persists for the next few months, the wine industry will be structurally damaged. On the other hand, the current crisis also brings the wine industry an opportunity to rethink strategies.

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Consumer Foods

Consumer Foods-to-Go Podcast: Post-Corona Musings Part III – Nutrition (9 July)

As loyal listeners to the podcast know, we have spent a lot of time thinking through what might change in food as a result of the corona crisis. The previous episode was dedicated to purpose-lead business. This episode is dedicated to Nutrition. Maria Castroviejo and Cyrille Filott invited Nard Clabbers of TNO to discuss the future of nutrition. Nard Clabbers is one of the leading authorities in the field of personalized nutrition. He discusses recent developments in personalized nutrition, and he shares his views on how Covid-19 might impact consumer choices and perspectives regarding food.

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Consumer Foods-to-Go Podcast: The Future of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables after Covid-19 – Coronavirus Update Part 6 (11 June)

Fresh fruits and vegetables were performing well in foodservice up until the Covid-19 crisis. However, the Covid-19 crisis and the subsequent closure of a lot of restaurants led to demand crashing for some products, whereas other products sold really well. But even in that period, “weather was more important than Covid.” This is a quote by Cindy van Rijswick, Rabobank’s resident fruit and vegetable expert. Cyrille Filott and Maria Castroviejo interview Cindy about the past but also about structural changes in the imminent future. Many of the themes that were discussed in previous editions of the podcast series reappear in this episode, tied to fruits and vegetables.

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Consumer Foods-to-Go Podcast: Coronavirus Update Part 5 (28 May)

Europe and the US are on the verge of ending lockdowns, and, in some cases, have done so already. For restaurants, this is an exciting time, but for food retail, perhaps less so. In China, lockdowns ended a few months before the rest of the world. Therefore, we believe it is helpful to have a look at what lessons can be learned from China. Maria and Cyrille quiz Rabobank colleague Michelle Huang on the latest developments in foodservice and food retail.

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Fresh and Frozen Bakery Amid Covid-19 (6 May)

Covid-19 has affected bakery players in different ways. With foodservice representing as much as 70% of their sales, frozen bakery players have seen reduced orders as food consumption changes from restaurants to home kitchens. Meanwhile, retail players – mostly in the fresh bread segment – rushed to feed a population that from one day to the next was told to stay at home.

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Talking Points – Covid Conversations (30 April)

For this month’s Talking Points, we discuss five interesting subjects that have emerged from the many conversations we’ve been having with our networks over the past few weeks.

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Impact of the Coronavirus on Snacking in Southeast Asia and India (29 April)

In August 2019, we discussed the growing consumer preference for snacking in Southeast Asia and India and highlighted the opportunity for food companies. In light of the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic fallout, it is worth reviewing what has changed and how snacking is likely to be impacted.

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Consumer Foods-to-Go Podcast: Coronavirus Update Part 4 (23 April)

Recently Consumer Foods-to-Go host Cyrille Filott was part of a webinar organized by Rabobank’s start-up innovation platform FoodBytes! on the impact of Covid-19 on food. In this episode, Cyrille and co-host Maria Castroviejo answer the most interesting questions from the webinar that are relevant to anyone curious about the effects of the lockdowns on food business.

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Coronavirus Takes European Food Delivery on a Bumpy Ride (21 April)

Food delivery platforms were expected to be one of the few winners of the ‘corona crisis.’ However, platforms seem to have had a rough start, due to both supply and demand developments. Although recovery is seen in some cases, it remains to be seen whether this bumpy ride will get smoother.

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China's Gradual Recovery from Coronavirus (17 April)

As coronavirus eases across China, life is slowly returning to normal. Different sectors are recovering at different paces, but the impact of the disruption to foodservice and food retail will be ongoing. The slow recovery of China’s foodservice industry and the uplift in food retail sales can give other countries a glimpse of what might happen once the worst of the pandemic has passed.

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Podcast: Coronavirus Update Part 3 (9 April)

In this episode of the Consumer Foods to Go podcast, Maria Castroviejo and Cyrille Filott again discuss the impact of the coronavirus on food retail, food service, and packaged food. This time Cyrille and Maria discuss the short-term changes in consumer behavior with regards to food retail shopping, what will happen at the end of the lockdown in foodservice, what the future of travel might look like, and how this will impact foodservice.

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Podcast: Coronavirus Update Part 2 (26 March)

Recording from their homes, Cyrille Filott and Maria Castroviejo update you on what they see happening in foodservice and food retail on the back of the coronavirus crisis. Maria and Cyrille touch upon the key questions they received from Rabobank clients over the last two weeks. They share anecdotes from the food & agribusiness supply chain and look a bit beyond the crisis into the almost inevitable economic recession. This episode is a follow-up to one released two weeks ago on this channel.

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Impact of Coronavirus on European Foodservice (12 March)

Coronavirus is rapidly spreading across Europe. The travel & tourism (T&T) industry, including domestic and international visitors and business travel, is one of the most affected by the situation. Since travelers represent a significant portion of foodservice demand, revenues for restaurants and bars will decline. The magnitude of this decline will depend on the duration of the crisis, the weight of travel-related demand on total foodservice revenue, and the impact of coronavirus on economic growth.

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Podcast: The Impact of the Coronavirus on Packaged Food and Foodservice in the Western Hemisphere (12 March)

The virus is now leading to disruptions in Europe (e.g. a lockdown in Italy) and North America. Maria Castroviejo and Cyrille Filott, co-host and host of Consumer Foods-to-Go, provide their initial thoughts on the virus’s current impact on foodservice and packaged food in the western hemisphere, as well as what structural shifts we might see in the future. A warning: the R-word will be used.

 
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Slower Growth Prospects as Coronavirus Hits Foodservice in Southeast Asia (28 February)

While the evolving nature of the situation and the indirect impact that tourism has on the overall economy makes projections challenging, with these estimates now available, we can provide a preliminary view of how Southeast Asian foodservice growth is likely to be impacted in 2020.

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Foodservice Industry Continues to Suffer From Coronavirus Outbreak (19 February)

The coronavirus has had a huge impact in China, and with the virus still not under control, the foodservice industry will continue to suffer. Therefore, it is very likely that 2020 will be a difficult year.

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Coronavirus Brings Risks for Foodservice (31 January)

The coronavirus outbreak will impact foodservice revenues in the short term in China. Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam are the most vulnerable markets outside of China. Foodservice players could face challenges such as supply disruptions and lack of personnel. Players will also have to consider strategic changes in the way they operate if they want to retain clients and secure long-term growth.

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Dairy

Global Dairy Markets Covid-19 Update, 11 May 2020

After a few years of bleak margins, the prospect of sustained positive margins was on the horizon until Covid-19 brought the global economy to a near standstill, triggering demand destruction just as milk production seasonally rose in the northern hemisphere.

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Global Dairy Markets Coronavirus Update, 7 April 2020 (7 April)

The dairy sector is in uncharted territory and is expected to experience three waves of market movement over the next 12 months, from panic-buying, through muted retail demand and greater logistical challenges, to longer-term loss of consumer purchasing power.

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Coronavirus Impact on the Chinese Dairy Sector: an Initial Assessment (14 February)

The outbreak of coronavirus is disrupting the entire dairy supply chain in China. Although, for now, we have only limited information and anecdotal evidence, Rabobank assesses the impact on the Chinese dairy market because the potential effects on the global dairy commodities market should not be ignored. The situation remains fluid, and Rabobank is monitoring the developments closely.

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F&A Supply Chains: Packaging & Logistics

Between Disruptions and the New Normal: Covid-19 Impacts on European F&A Logistics (16 July)

The Covid-19 outbreak is a game changer for European F&A logistics. Short-term impacts quickly affected all food logistics sectors on a scale never seen before. Now it is time to take stock of which impacts will linger on and suggest a possible scenario for the medium term.

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Brace for Impact: Covid-19 and North American Containerboard (26 March)

As the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic unfolds globally, we attempt to assess the initial impact it may have on the North American containerboard sector.

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Lockdown: Supply Chains in the Midst of Coronavirus Outbreak (24 February)

Containment measures to avoid the further spread of the coronavirus are affecting Chinese and global logistics supply chains. China’s domestic transport sector is disrupted, and global logistics operators are seeing their volumes reduced. It will be a challenge to contain the virus with as little interruption to supply chains as possible and to revert to normal quickly.

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Paper Jam: Coronavirus's Impact on Paper Packaging (13 February)

The outbreak of coronavirus (designated as Covid-19 by the WHO) has impacted the paper packaging industry in terms of reduced inventory and supply of paper board, logistics interruptions, an absent workforce, as well as increased costs. However, we also see some potential opportunities emerging for paper packaging in the future.

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Farm Inputs

Field Crop Margin Outlook: Covid-19 Update

The effects of Covid-19 and recent global commodity market developments – such as oil/energy markets, trade wars, and currency movements – have an impact on European farming. Fertilizer markets are at the lowest price levels in five years, farmers’ margins are generally steady, and most crop prices follow historical trends, although warm and dry weather lowers 2020 crop yield expectations..

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Concerns Loom Over Indian Farmers Under the Covid-19 Lockdown (25 May)

A Rabobank survey conducted during the first and second phases of the Covid-19 lockdown in India reveals farmers’ concerns, as well as opportunities for farm input companies and the government to help farmers to handle the situation better. This could pave the way for companies and government policy makers to more effectively position themselves in farmers’ eyes.

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Covid-19 Casts Shadow Over Fertiliser and Crop Protection Supply Chains (28 April)

Global lockdowns are leading to uncertainty about the availability of fertilisers and agrochemicals, and price dynamics will also increase. This will potentially create abnormalities in filling the supply chains towards the start of the planting season in the Southern Hemisphere. Supply chain risks are exacerbated by a consolidated global production system that is pushing its products through a myriad of channels to each and every farmer across the globe.

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Podcast: Coronavirus Plants Ag-Chem Concerns Ahead of the Winter Crop (5 March)

Coronavirus has created something of a 'perfect storm,' threatening to disrupt Australian agrochemical supply ahead of the winter crop. Wes Lefroy and Cheryl Kalisch-Gordon discuss where some pressure points may lie ahead of crop planting.

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Coronavirus May Accelerate Phosphate Fertilizer Industry Reforms (21 February)

A sudden coronavirus (or Covid-19) outbreak has severely affected phosphate production in China. Phosphate fertilizer prices are likely to rise, due to product shortages and higher production costs. However, downstream demand is uncertain and export market pressures remain high, both of which put China’s phosphate fertilizer industry under greater pressure in 2020. Manufacturers should look for opportunities to gain new growth amid the difficulties.

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Fresh Produce

Podcast: Covid-19 Changes the Horticulture Labour & Workplace Landscape (19 June)

Rabobank's horticulture and fresh produce analysts, Cindy van Rijswick, Roland Fumasi, and Hayden Higgins, discuss some of the agriculture labour challenges and opportunities created by the Covid-19 situation in Europe, the US, and Australasia.

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Podcast: Effecten Covid-19 crisis voor de aardappelteelt (29 April)

De maatregelen die genomen zijn om het Covid-19 virus te bestrijden, hebben grote effecten voor de Nederlandse telers van fritesaardappelen. Gea Bakker, sectorspecialist Akkerbouw bij Rabobank Bedrijven geeft haar kijk op de huidige voorraden van fritesaardappelen bij de bedrijven en de gevolgen daarvan voor het nieuwe teeltseizoen.

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Podcast: Almond Markets in 2020 – Supply and Covid-19 Bring New Dynamics (28 April)

Roland Fumasi joins Hayden Higgins to discuss the almond sector over the balance of 2020. Since Rabobank released US almond pricing forecasts in early January 2020, the landscape has altered. How the increased US almond crop for 2020 and the impacts of Covid-19 on global economies, as can be ascertained today, influence both the US and Australian almond sectors are the key talking points.

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Coronavirus Concerns in the Global Fresh Produce Sector (30 March)

Covid-19 has been rapidly spreading across the globe. Measures to avoid the further spread of the virus are affecting the global fresh produce industry via demand, labor availability, logistics, and the general state of the economy. But the potential effects will differ from day to day and from company to company.

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Covid-19 Update: Retail Fresh Produce Demand Soars, but Landmines Remain (27 March)

The Covid-19 situation has created a surge in fresh produce demand in retail grocery, but challenges around foodservice, logistics, macroeconomics, and labor availability pose ongoing threats.

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Floriculture Demand Collapses Dramatically Under Coronavirus Pressure (27 March)

 Measures to prevent further spread of the coronavirus are affecting the global ornamental sector via demand, logistics, supply chains, and the general state of the economy. Potential effects will differ from day to day and are related to the specific characteristics of certain flowers, plants, companies, and countries. 

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Grains & Oilseeds

Podcast: Rice and Sugar – Staples Riding Out the Coronavirus Storm? (12 May)

Two crops—linked by geography—are weathering the Covid-19 storm, according to Senior Grains & Oilseeds Analyst, Steve Nicholson. Rice is a relatively inexpensive staple of diets the world over, and trade disruptions might give domestic producers a lift. Sugar is riding a strong retail wave as consumers fill their time at home with baking and their grocery store carts with comfort foods during a time when supplies were already short.

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Hunting the Margin: Pre- & Post Covid-19 Update – Strategic Implications of Continued Low G&O Handling and Processing Margins (12 May)

Some key grain & oilseed (G&O) companies’ margins have improved since our 2017 report. This success can only partly be attributed to margins from the typical handling and processing of grains, as the strategic shifts taken by companies in recent years have played a major role. “G&O companies’ heavy focus on strengthening their core through operational excellence, cost savings, and divestments of non-core businesses, as well as their continued expansion into value-add, downstream segments, and/or new markets benefited the overall company performance,” according to Stefan Vogel, global strategist – grains & oilseeds.

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Podcast: Grains & Oilseeds in a Coronavirus World (6 May)

In this episode of the RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness North America podcast series, Steve Nicholson, Erin Fitzpatrick, and Andrew Tasker talk about how Covid-19 is impacting corn, soybean, and cotton markets and go on a search for commodity marketing opportunities in a coronavirus world.

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Podcast: AU Grains Can Still Have a Good 2020 Despite Covid-19 (9 April)

Covid-19 has introduced uncertainty and downside in many agricultural markets. RaboResearch Senior Grains & Oilseeds Analyst Cheryl Kalisch Gordon and Agriculture Analyst Wes Lefroy discuss our revised outlook for grain and oilseed markets in 2020 amid the spread of Covid-19 and OPEC+ supply uncertainty.

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Coronavirus May Pressure Dry Bulk Freight Rates and Benefit Grains & Oilseeds (18 March)

A resilient grain & oilseed industry will benefit from dry bulk freight rates pressured by coronavirus.

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Coronavirus Hits Chinese Soy Supply Chain, Lowering Consumption and Import Needs (27 February)

The outbreak of coronavirus (designated as Covid-19 by the WHO) will hit Chinese soy oil and soymeal consumption, primarily in Q1 and early Q2 2020. Barring an extreme escalation of the epidemic, both are expected to register a robust rebound in 2H 2020.

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Sugar

Podcast: Drought, Deficits, and Dealing With Covid-19 – How Will Our Sugar Customers Dictate the Outlook? (5 June)

Charlie Clack and Wes Lefroy review the latest prospects for the sugar market as our domestic crush gets underway. After a turbulent start to the year, the team attempts to put an uncertain 2020 outlook into perspective – drought, deficits, and dealing with Covid-19 are just the start!

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