Increasingly volatile growing conditions, disruptions to shipping and conflicts may all have an outsized impact on the agricultural industry. In this intelligence piece, we outline alternative datasets that can provide insights into various supply-side shocks and changing demand for food as more people join the middle class. We also discuss the growing use of satellite-derived intelligence to provide insights into crop health and yield forecasts on a global scale. 

War, droughts, Rain and disruptions

Increasingly extreme weather (from droughts to too much rain), continued conflict in Ukraine and disruptions in the Red Sea are all affecting the agricultural sector. These impacts include reductions in agricultural land (destroyed by war or desertification), reduced crop production and disruptions to supply chains. 

In this report, we outline four key areas of alternative data that can answer questions pertinent to agricultural commodities.

• Pricing data – Both over-the-counter and physical trade data
• Shipping data – Covering agricultural exports/imports, bills of lading and vessel-tracking flow data
• Weather data – For crop production forecasts
• Satellite data – Identifying crop acreage, health and harvesting activity