Wheat prices will remain high for the next ten years, says Rabobank's Director of Commodities Dirk Jan Kennes. The current price peak is not only down to the Russian drought, it signals a structural change in the market. The U.S. could offer short-term solutions. But long-term the food industry must improve efficiency, or charge consumers more for bread, beer, and meat.

Now that president Putin has announced a ban on Russian wheat exports, Rabobank has downgraded its forecast for 2010/11 global wheat production. In a 'Wheat Special' report this week the bank's Food & Agri commodities experts forecast global production to reach 644.2 million tonnes, down 34.6 million tonnes on 2009/10 levels. Earlier this week the World Food Organisation expected annual global production to reach 651 million tonnes.

"The growth in the United States (US) market in the short term will be driven particularly by an increase in the residential and small-commercial market segments. We expect that up to 1.5 GW of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects could be installed in the US during 2010, with retail PV taking the majority share", says Food & Agribusiness Research analyst Anke Verhagen in her latest publication on solar energy. Solar PV technology generates electricity from the sun directly, as opposed to solar systems that make use of the heat of the sun to warm water for example.

Ask most people who they support in Africa this summer, and they'll reach for their vuvuzela and tell you about their national football team. Ask anyone at Rabo Development who they support in Africa, and they'll answer Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique and Rwanda. And not just this summer. Although their national teams are still working their way up the football rankings, Tanzania and Zambia are creating leading banks with the help of Rabobank and its local partners.

The sport of cycling has rapidly become more international in the past three decades says a special report by Rabobank's Economic Research Department. No longer is it dominated by the traditional top six European cycling countries. Ambitious newcomers from all over the world claimed their time in cycling's spotlights and are definitely there to stay.

The gradual improvement in the global economy is showing through in recent wine trading trends. The 'Rabobank Wine Quarterly' reports that exports from nearly all major wine growing countries have improved compared to the first half of 2009. But as the global wine market struggles with overproduction, the key to long-term profitability will be balancing supply and demand.

Rabobank Chief Economist Dr Wim Boonstra warns that political jostling around the formation of a new Dutch government is like dancing on the afterdeck of the Titanic. With new financial storms brewing, it's time to stop dancing and appoint an effective crew to man the ship.

Wheat prices have reached the highest level of 2010. Key sugar producing countries are worried that bad weather will further deplete global sugar stocks. And the potential of La Niña may play havoc with crops and prices throughout the world. This month, the Rabobank Agri Commodities Monthly looks at the effects of global fundamentals and prices, and gives an outlook for wheat, sugar, corn and soybeans.

Rabobank rider Denis Menchov took third place in the Tour de France 2010, the first time the Rabobank team has ever gained a podium place. At 24 years old, Robert Gesink acquitted himself with honour, taking sixth place overall and finishing second in the young riders' classification.

Despite a 6 billion dollar government injection to develop its home industry, the Brazilian fertiliser sector will remain dependent on imports, according to a new Rabobank report 'Changes in Brazil's Fertiliser Industry'. "Plans to increase fertiliser production in Brazil will not eliminate the country's fertiliser imports. Instead, they will open a new window of opportunity for retailers," says Rabobank analyst Erin Fitzpatrick.

A new Rabobank report asks whether the global economy is entering the third act of the economic crisis: sovereign default in the industrialised world. "Now that governments have rescued the private sector, they are divided on the best way to save themselves," says economist Shahin Kamalodin. His report 'The Return of Sovereign Risk in the Industrialised World' examines the causes of the debt crisis, lists the strategies to restore public finances, and creates early warning indicators for the next sovereign debt crisis.

A National Savings Survey commissioned by online bank RaboDirect shows that only one third of Australians has a savings plan they stick to. RaboDirect General Manager Greg McAweeney gives his top-5 tips how to save for a rainy day.

Refereeing errors have caused an uproar at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It has been a recurring theme at every World Cup in memory. Referees have and always will make errors. Players do too for that matter, but failings on the part of the referees are, for evident reasons, viewed as extremely unreasonable.

After signing a Memorandum of Understanding in 2009, Rabobank Group has now obtained a 30% strategic stake in Banco Cooperativo Sicredi S.A., the central organisation of the 128 Sicredi credit cooperatives in Brazil. The agreement between the Rabobank Group and Sicredi is based on the solid joint cooperative background and their widely spread branch network in the inland parts of Brazil. The investment is subject to approval of the Brazilian Central Bank.

The start of 2010 saw all five largest eurozone economies expanding their volumes of economic activity. Until now though, that growth has leaned heavily on external demand and the temporary support from inventory formation. Households remain cautious amid weak labour markets. European sovereign debt poses a risk to brittle sentiment.

Rabobank's new Global Dairy Top-20 shows the recent growth of Japan and China in the world dairy sector. The Top-10 is still headed by Nestlé, and dominated by players from the mature markets of Europe and the US. But Japanese contender Meiji Dairies moved up 3 places to number 11, and Yili from China shot into the rankings for the first time at number 17.

According to the new Rabobank U.S. Farm & Ranch Survey, year-over-year income for U.S. farmers and ranchers has improved significantly over findings in the previous two surveys.

Wout Dekker (53) has been appointed by the General Meeting of Rabobank Nederland as a member of the Supervisory Board of Rabobank Nederland. "We are convinced that Mr Dekker is a candidate who fits in exceptionally well with the profile of leading a listed company with public/private interfaces," says Chairman of the Supervisory Board Dr. Lense Koopmans. "Mr Dekker is also familiar with the co-operative organisational form and fully supports it, which makes him ideally suited for this position."

With coffee prices reaching record highs, a new Rabobank research report checks out what's making the market hot up. Cold weather scares in Brazil, the strengthening cash market for Washed Arabica coffee, a buoyant Robusta coffee market and a tighter market structure have pushed prices up to their highest levels since December 2009.

The latest quarterly Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey shows a slight decline in confidence amongst Australian farmers. Falling grain and sugar prices, a locust plague, and the strength of the dollar contributed to the pessimism. But optimists were cheered by the best winter crop planting conditions for nearly 10 years. Confidence was strongest in the south eastern states of Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania.