For starters, consumers are more aware of wheat-related products in their everyday lives and would be then be more comfortable trading in the commodity, whereas corn is mostly used indirectly in many products.
“Even though people use much more corn in their daily lives than they do wheat, people are aware they are using wheat because they use it directly when consuming bread, pasta, bagels, pizza – basically anything with flour,” Gilbertie said. “They can see and feel and touch the wheat with almost every meal. Corn, on the other hand, is used indirectly in so many products from fuel (ethanol) to paper (held together with cornstarch) which makes people unaware of how much corn they actually use vs. how much wheat they actually use.”
Additionally, the U.S. is planting less wheat, and the diminished future supply could open an opportunity to capitalize on rising prices.
“The latest official estimates show the fewest United States wheat acres being planted since records began in 1919, which seems to have simulated some asset allocation into the wheat sector, where prices are very near decade lows and their cost of production but usage is near record high levels,” Gilbertie added.
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