North Asian Markets See Success In Corn Harvest Quality Rollout Events

Each year following the release of its Corn Harvest Quality Report, U.S. Grains Council (USGC) offices around the world present the findings to stakeholders in the markets they represent. In North Asia, USGC offices in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan welcomed attendees in person following two years of virtual corn harvest quality rollout (CQR) events.

Released in November 2022, the 12th annual corn quality survey found that the 2022 U.S. corn crop entering the market channel had a higher average test weight, higher protein concentration and lower total damage relative to each quality factor’s average of the previous five crops.

“Japanese customers obtained good knowledge about this year’s U.S. corn quality at harvest,” said USGC Japan Director Tommy Hamamoto. “Feed corn users in Japan were happy to hear the high protein content. They also look forward to the export cargo quality report that shows the quality closer to that they receive.”

The three events operated similarly, as attendees were offered the findings of the report, heard from U.S. farmers on their experiences from this past growing season and learned more about the global grains market outlook.

“About 140 people from the domestic feed and corn processing industries, the government and media attended the CQR seminar held in Seoul,” said USGC South Korea Director Haksoo Kim. “The good quality and availability of U.S. corn released at this CQR seminar, held at a time when Korean buyers are paying close attention to U.S. corn, was welcomed. Given the prolonged war in Ukraine and the repeated La Niña, the U.S. report was enough to encourage buyers to resume purchases. Accordingly, the Korean office expects that U.S. corn purchases will resume from January thanks to this CQR event.”

The rollout events were a great success for each office, as they welcomed attendees in numbers ranging from 80 to 140.

“Our event represented the commitment between the U.S. and Taiwan to maintain our longstanding partnership in agriculture,” said Michael Lu, USGC director in Taiwan. “Taiwan attendees appreciate the Council for providing the valuable information including corn harvest quality, U.S. sustainable farm management and the global grains market outlook. It has proven the participants have confidence in U.S. corn quality and demonstrating the Council’s high level of trade servicing.”

The 2022/2023 Corn Harvest Quality Report provides information about the quality of the current U.S. crop at harvest as it enters international merchandising channels. A second Council report, the 2022/2023 Corn Export Cargo Quality Report, will measure corn quality at export terminals at the point of loading and will be available in early 2023.

Follow along in Global Update as we highlight coming corn quality rollout events in Southeast Asia; Europe, the Middle East and Africa; Latin America and Mexico.