NCI Course Provides Philippines Buyers U.S.-Origin Grain Purchasing Tips

Enabling market opportunities is one of the primary objectives of the U.S. Grains Council (USGC). Maximizing potential with timely trade missions is a key way the Council executes this objective.

The Council recently hosted a group of buyers predominantly from the Philippines, currently the 16th largest market for distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), to visit the Northern Crop Institute (NCI) to undergo an intensive training course on purchasing coarse grains and co-products from the United States.

The recent reduction in corn tariffs in the Philippines from 35 to five percent and continued disruptions in the feed wheat supply chain presented a market opportunity for U.S.-origin corn and DDGS. Course topics included risk management, contracting, storage and handling, U.S. supply chains and end use.

“This trade team is very timely,” said Caleb Wurth, USGC Southeast Asia and Oceania regional director. “We hope to facilitate the best chance to fill the newly available feed demand in the Philippines with U.S. origin.”

The group also had the opportunity to visit with several Council members and other industry groups while in the states. The member facility stops offered attendees an in-person look at U.S.-origin trade and the commodities and co-products represented by the Council.

“The Philippines is unique in that it allows degrees of market access for all USGC-represented products. Customers are eager to consider U.S. partners, and that commitment is exemplified in the participation on this recent mission,” Wurth said.

By meeting with industry representatives and learning more about grain purchasing at NCI, the Council hopes buyers now have the necessary tools to make educated purchasing decisions and execute U.S.-origin trade.

As of June, the Philippines purchased 114,001 metric tons of DDGS and the country is the 18th largest for grains in all forms at this time.