We are glad to announce that the company name of “Drum Commodities Limited” has been changed to “Vallis Commodities Limited”. The change is effective from 1st June 2016, and will soon be reflected in all our branding. We have done this to reinforce the differentiation of Drum Commodities Limited from any other ‘Drum’ company. If you have any questions on this change of name, or any Vallis Commodities servRead More
A client recently asked us to research the production and trade of cashew nuts in the city of Parakou, Benin. A research report compiled by Vallis’s Nick Legg is available at this link: Research Report – Cashew Production in Benin Benin produces 135,000 tonnes of Raw Cashew Nuts (RCN) per year; 95% of these are exported to India for processing. Vallis Commodities has managed cashew nuts in 5 countries acRead More
On 2nd and 3rd of May, I attended the Intra-African Trade Finance and Payment Systems Conference in Abidjan, organized by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). I was joined at the conference by Denis Chabassier, local Vallis Country Manager, and Marmaduke Hatfield from our UK office. The aim of the conference was to discuss the current limitations and barriers surrounding intra-African trade and to outline ARead More
Vallis Commodities Limited held its AGM on Thursday 28th April to sign off an extremely positive set of results for 2015. Combined with the full renewal of our $40 million Professional Indemnity policy, we are in very good shape for 2016. I am also pleased to announce the appointment to the board as a Director, Dudley Smith. I have known Dudley for over 35 years and so I am delighted to make this announcemenRead More
Following up on our previous post, I am glad to announce that I have now completed the 2016 Marathon des Sables. As well as being the longest MDS ever (161 miles) the MDS organisation claims it was the hardest ever due to the wind, the largest inclusion of sand into the route and of course the heat. Overall I finished 608th out of 1,108 starters – 135 dropped out (12% which is double the average) and 973 finishRead More
Next week I am taking part in the Marathon des Sables for the third time. Ranked by the Discovery Channel as the toughest footrace on earth, the MdS involves running the equivalent of 6 marathons over 5 days through the Moroccan Sahara unsupported and carrying one’s food and equipment. I am running to raise money for Marie Curie, a charity who provide care and support for people living with any terminal illness, and Read More
I am pleased to announce that Vallis’s insurance policy providing Professional Indemnity cover with the pre-eminent Lloyd’s of London broker JLT (Jardine Lloyd Thompson) has been renewed for one year from 1st April 2016. This policy provides cover up to $40 million with one automatic top up. This means that effectively Vallis has $80 million PI cover. The policy insures fully the services we provide throuRead More
International aid organizations play a key part in the commodity value chain throughout the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa as illustrated in the pie chart on the right. Due to their reliance on donors, it is crucial that these aid agencies maintain supply chains that minimize risk and wastage. Vallis Commodities researcher Fergus Witt has compiled a report into these organizations, covering their history, Read More
At the end of February, I attended the IFC’s 7th Global Partners Conference in Milan having been invited to speak as a panellist at the event. The title of the conference was “Striving in Turbulent Times”, which seemed very apt. The mood was sombre as shown by the topics for various sessions: “Is Volatility The New Normal?” “The Spectre of Capital Flight.” “Rethinking Risk in Emerging Market Banking and Trade.” “SurRead More
Vallis Commodities is pleased to announce the recent addition of Marine and Cargo Services to the range of logistic services that it offers customers. The first Marine and Cargo Service operations were successfully completed in December 2015 in Beira, Mozambique. The services are now also available in Ghana, Kenya, Senegal and Tanzania and further expansion in West Africa will continue in the coming months. The new sRead More