In this year’s Nutrition & Feed Survey, WATT’s editors posed the question: How will the current global political outlook impact your business in 2015? While the responses to this question could spur a series of articles on the topic, I decided to highlight a few responses representing each region* to shed light on the opinions of a handful of respondents.
United States
“Opportunities abound.”
“Little difference here, but parent company in western Europe has multiple opportunities due to trade and disease barriers.”
“Dollar is too strong for exports.”
Africa
“It looks bleak due to the instability of markets and political factors.”
“The increase in the price of crude oil has increased the export incentives for non-oil products. Hence, the production quality and capacity is being improved to increase the competitiveness of our products.”
“Business and production will decrease because currently my country is facing serious financial and energy crisis problems.”
“Our business is slow due to the upcoming presidential elections in Nigeria.”
Europe
“The Russian and Ukrainian political and economic problems are influencing our business opportunities.”
“European export access to the Middle-East and Africa is of the greatest importance. Situation is worrying.”
“Political outlook in promoting exports and stimulating foreign investments will support the business in the forthcoming years.”
Asia
“[The impact will be] very great as our operations source new technologies across international borders.”
“It will not have much impact in India as we have robust internal consumption that is growing.”
“It will increase the business due to more global participation in the market.
Latin America
“The political scene in Argentina goes through a year of great uncertainty on the side of market players.”
“The economic management of revaluation of the dollar is significantly affecting grain prices upward.”
“Facing presidential elections, the outlook is uncertain. We are attentive to a change next year that we think will be positive, no matter who wins.”
“While Venezuela maintains a strict control on foreign change and the difficulty to acquire multiple foreign exchange to import raw materials and spare parts persists, domestic feed industry will not grow.”
Many of these sentiments are reflected in this year’s report. Unsurprisingly, they have impacted poultry feed formulations and production in 2015.
*Note: None of the respondents from the Middle East replied to this open-ended question.
