IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/apecpp/v47y2025i4p1561-1582.html

Dynamic changes in the structure and concentration of the international grain and oilseed trading industry

Author

Listed:
  • William W. Wilson
  • David W. Bullock
  • Isaac Dubovoy

Abstract

This paper aims to describe the evolution of firm and industry strategies and to analyze detailed transaction data on the structure of the international grain trading industry. Specifically, data are developed from vessel nominations, and these were used to derive measures of concentration and determine how these change across selected geographies and commodities, as well as to identify the clusters of firms in this industry. The results provide unique documentation on the structure and concentration of the world grain trading industry. The results indicate the levels of concentration are much less than traditionally suggested; there has been growth by many new entrants making up a viable competitive fringe; the industry seems to be comprised of three clusters of firms; and generally, competition in this industry would be characterized as being “fierce.”

Suggested Citation

  • William W. Wilson & David W. Bullock & Isaac Dubovoy, 2025. "Dynamic changes in the structure and concentration of the international grain and oilseed trading industry," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 47(4), pages 1561-1582, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:apecpp:v:47:y:2025:i:4:p:1561-1582
    DOI: 10.1002/aepp.13524
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/aepp.13524
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/aepp.13524?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Glauber, Joseph W., 2023. "Ukraine one year later: Impacts on global food security," IFPRI book chapters, in: The Russia-Ukraine conflict and global food security, chapter 11, pages 57-61, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. William Wilson & Prithviraj Lakkakula, 2021. "Secondary rail car markets for grain transportation and basis values," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(3), pages 472-488, July.
    3. Bullock, David W. & Lakkakula, Prithviraj & Wilson, William W., 2023. "Russia-Ukraine Conflict and the Global Food Grain Price Analysis," Choices: The Magazine of Food, Farm, and Resource Issues, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 38(2).
    4. William W. Wilson & Alexander Belozertsev, 1995. "Russian grain trading and marketing: Evolution and struggles," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 11(1), pages 1-12.
    5. Alex F. McCalla & Andrew Schmitz, 1979. "Grain Marketing Systems: The Case of the United States versus Canada," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 61(2), pages 199-212.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wilson, William W. & Bullock, David & Dubovoy, Isaac, "undated". "Dynamic Changes in the Structure and Concentration of the International Grain Trading Industry," Agribusiness & Applied Economics Report 358647, North Dakota State University, Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics.
    2. Hao Xu & Niu Niu & Dongmei Li & Chengjie Wang, 2024. "A Dynamic Evolutionary Analysis of the Vulnerability of Global Food Trade Networks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-17, May.
    3. Mohammad Hasan Mobarok & Wyatt Thompson & Theodoros Skevas, 2024. "Sensitivity of the United States crop basis and distribution network to precipitation," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(4), pages 908-925, October.
    4. Joseph M. Santos, 2014. "Back to the futures: An assessment of market performance on the early Winnipeg Grain Exchange," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 47(4), pages 1426-1448, November.
    5. Ballenger, Nicole S., "undated". "Export Enhancement, Exporting Firms, And Efficiency Of International Commodity Markets," 1990 Annual meeting, August 5-8, Vancouver, Canada 270895, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    6. Quaye, Leonard-Allen A. & Stewart, Shamar & Massa, Olga Isengildina, 2025. "Transportation Disruptions and Corn Basis Volatility along the Mississippi River," 2025 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2025, Denver, CO 361205, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    7. Wilson, William W. & Bullock, David W. & Lakkakula, Prithviraj, "undated". "Implications of the Russian Invasion on the Logistical Competition for Corn Shipments from the United States and Ukraine," Agribusiness & Applied Economics Report 338529, North Dakota State University, Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics.
    8. William W. Wilson & Jesse Klebe, 2026. "Supply chain risk in grain trading: Inventories as real options for shipping grain," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(1), pages 175-195, January.
    9. Robert Conrad & Malcolm Gillis & Glenn Jenkins, 1980. "An Evaluation Of The Impact Of Alternative Tax Policies On The Profitability Of Investments In Wheat, Corn And Soybean Production - An International Comparison," Development Discussion Papers 1980-13, JDI Executive Programs.
    10. Rosson, C. Parr & Sporleder, Thomas L., 1984. "Producer Marketing Boards And Price Adjustments In World Grain Sorghum Markets," 1984 Annual Meeting, August 5-8, Ithaca, New York 278961, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    11. Wilson, William W. & Bullock, David, "undated". "2025 No. 831 Wheat Trade Flows and Logistical Competition from the United States and Black Sea Origins to Targeted International Markets," Agribusiness & Applied Economics Report 359086, North Dakota State University, Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics.
    12. Amanda M. Countryman & Valentyn Litvinov & Ivan Kolodiazhnyi & Mariia Bogonos & Oleg Nivievskyi, 2025. "Global economic effects of war‐induced agricultural export declines from Ukraine," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 47(2), pages 624-665, May.
    13. Mercier, Stephanie A., 1993. "The Role of Quality in Wheat Import Decisionmaking," Agricultural Economic Reports 308270, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    14. Strokov, Sergei, 1996. "Analysis of agricultural policy in Russia," ISU General Staff Papers 1996010108000018173, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    15. Watson, Alistair S., 1996. "Principles of Grain Marketing: Some Lessons from Australian Experience," Technical Reports 113821, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.
    16. repec:ags:aesdoc:207750 is not listed on IDEAS

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:apecpp:v:47:y:2025:i:4:p:1561-1582. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1002/(ISSN)2040-5804 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.