By Cary Sifferath, U.S. Grains Council Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa

Hatam Chaabouni, president of Chaabouni Group in Tunisia, imported his first container of U.S. distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in 2010, but high U.S. corn prices subsequently made it increasingly difficult to purchase mixed shipments of corn and DDGS.

After trying unsuccessfully for months to source U.S. DDGS, Chaabouni finally solved the riddle by purchasing a mixed shipment of DDGS, soybean meal (SBM), and soybeans. He followed up by attending the U.S. Grains Council’s Export Exchange 2012 conference, held this October in Minneapolis, to expand his contacts with a broad range of U.S. producers and exporters.

As a result, Council staff and USGC consultant Mohamed Ali Hasaiei recently were able to join Chaabouni to witness the unloading of the largest vessel ever to call on the port of Sfax, Tunisia, as it delivered his purchase. The vessel also called at Casablanca, Morocco, to deliver soybeans.

Following the DDGS importation, the Council co-sponsored a DDGS information day with Alfa/Nutrisud in Tunis, Tunisia. Speakers presented on the economic benefits, uses, and characteristics of DDGS. The information day was a success. The audience of 140 was composed of feed grains importers, feed millers, nutritionists, dairy farmers, agricultural engineers of various agricultural professional associations, the president and executive members of the Tunisian National Farmers Union (UTAP), as well as high level Ministry of Agriculture Officials.