By Cary Sifferath, U.S. Grains Council regional director for the Middle East and Africa

The U.S. Grains Council created a foothold for distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in Jordan’s market through a series of enterprises, including a DDGS feeding trial, a field day seminar with trial results and bringing a high-level Jordanian team to the United States. Since these initial ventures, Jordan has grown to import more than 20,000 metric tons of U.S. DDGS in January through August 2013 compared to nothing in 2009.

Hammoudeh Farm, where the feeding trail was conducting, has continued to import U.S. DDGS mostly from Council member Mirasco. While the farm does use some DDGS for their own feed rations, Hammoudeh Grain (part of the Hammoudeh Group) has been selling DDGS along with other feed ingredients to Jordanian dairy farms, poultry farms and feed companies.

In an effort to provide continual education for returning and potential customers, Hammoudeh Grain and Mirasco collaborated to host a seminar on utilizing U.S. DDGS in Jordan. The Council participated through a presentation about U.S. corn and DDGS supply and demand situation and uses for DDGS in other countries in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Through its programming and trade servicing efforts, the Council is maintaining and developing contacts with importers, government officials and livestock producers. These relationships are vital to understanding the market as it continues to evolve, which enables the Council to respond to opportunities that arise.