The U.S. Grains Council recently recognized Egypt Director Dr. Hussein Soliman for his 20 years of dedicated service and achievements in Developing Markets, Enabling Trade and Improving Lives.

“Dr. Soliman’s work is an outstanding example of what the Council tries to do in every market,� said Chris Corry, USGC senior director of international operations.

He praised Soliman for recent achievements on the policy front – promoting feed imports of dried distiller’s grains with soluble (DDGS), corn gluten meal and corn gluten – as well as long-standing successes such as the Egyptian Cattlemen’s Bank and feedlot development programs.

Soliman’s policy successes led to imports of more than 120,000 metric tons of DDGS last year and moved Egypt to the top destination for U.S. corn gluten meal.

“Even now, Soliman is playing a key advisory role to the Minister of Agriculture during this delicate period of transition, providing guidance on policies aimed at maintaining production within the livestock sectors and keeping food prices down. Egypt’s total corn imports were at record levels last year – more than 220 million bushels, from all sources – as this market continues to grow,â€� Corry noted.

In the early years of the world debate over biotechnology, Soliman was instrumental in educating Egyptian leaders about the benefits of biotechnology and convincing them that Egypt should not adopt European Union restrictions.

Soliman is also responsible for establishing the Cattleman’s Bank; a revolving credit fund that has facilitated the construction of over 400 commercial feedlots and increased imports of corn and co-products over the years.

“Egyptian consumers and American grain farmers alike have reason to honor Dr. Soliman,� Corry concluded.