In a year when U.S. exports faced challenges following drought-reduced 2012 crops, the U.S. Grains Council worked hard to maintain relationships built over many years. Among the most important of our historic trading partners is Taiwan. While the short U.S. crop in 2012 forced Taiwan to diversify its supply, many buyers in Taiwan continued to express a preference for U.S. corn once a more normal supply and price situation returned.

Taiwan’s commitment to the U.S. market was again recognized by the biennial Taiwanese Agricultural Goodwill Mission, which visited Washington Sept. 10, 2013, to sign a letter of intent with the Council in which it committed to purchase 5 million metric tons (197 million bushels) of U.S. corn in 2014 and 2015. In addition, 0.5 million tons of DDGS (distiller’s dried grains with solubles) were included in the memorandum.

The total value of intended purchases of soybeans, wheat, corn and corn co-products is estimated to exceed $4 billion, making Taiwan’s letter of intent an affirmation of a strong, well-established partnership between our two nations.