More than 60 feed millers, poultry and livestock producers, importers and end-users from thirteen countries in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (including Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, UAE, Oman, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan) attended a U.S. Grains Council corn quality rollout seminar that resulted in sales of 1.2 million metric tons (47.2 million bushels) of U.S. corn valued at more than $200 million.
Buyers and end-users around the world are seeking more information about the quality and availability of U.S. corn for export. At the event held in Cyprus for these regional buyers, Council agribusiness members and farmers replied to customers’ inquiries, offering accurate and timely information through seminars on the Council’s 2019/2020 corn harvest quality report.
The harvest quality report provides valuable information about the quality of U.S. corn from the farm through the whole marketing system, detailing data on grade factors, physical factors, and chemical composition. In a series of conferences, seminars, and one-on-one meetings, Council delegations present the report’s results to global customers, giving a full review of the grain supply chain and offering opportunities for buyers to engage directly with Council staff, agribusiness members and farmers.
The meetings are annual events that international buyers and customers of U.S. corn and co-products value – particularly because they can ask questions on growing conditions, crop availability, specific quality factors and more. Both the harvest quality and a second report on export cargo quality are part of the commitment by the Council and its members to provide the most transparent and timely information available in the world grain market.
Participants particularly appreciate the perspectives of U.S. farmers who travel abroad to attend these crop quality meetings. The combination of their enthusiasm and confidence in their ability to supply their global customers with high-quality feed ingredients makes them highly effective trade ambassadors. Having a U.S. farmer present about the care and attention invested in producing each year’s crop also opens the eyes of international buyers to farmers’ innovations and focus on quality.
Following the Middle East/North Africa/South Asia conference, participants indicated in a post-survey they had bought more than 1.2 million metric tons (47.2 million bushels) of U.S. corn valued at more than $200 million.
The Council invested $184,686 in Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) program funds to execute this conference. The resulting $200 million worth of business therefore yielded a return on investment (ROI) of more than $1,083 per $1 MAP and FMD invested.
About The U.S. Grains Council
The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability. Detailed information about the Council and its programs is online at www.grains.org.