Using Market Access Program (MAP) funds provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) was able to capture more than 20 percent market share for U.S. corn in Egypt in 2018, importing 1.8 million metric tons of U.S. corn, an increase over the previous calendar year during which the United States had less than three percent market share.
In 2018, the Council worked closely with its Egyptian partners to engage with leading Egyptian grain importers through face-to-face visits and conferences. The Council used these meetings with the top 10 grain importers to determine their grain importing programs and to promote U.S. corn as part of their annual purchases. The main Egyptian importers received a weekly update on U.S corn harvest progress and other information related to U.S corn and corn co-products, helping purchasers understand U.S. corn quality as they make their purchase decisions.
In October 2018, the Council hosted an Egyptian trade team to the United States for the Council’s biannual Export Exchange, held in Minnesota. There, they met with U.S feed grains exporters and got an opportunity to learn more about the supply and demand for U.S. feed products, transportation issues and challenges, the outlook for grains and other key topics that influence purchasing decisions. Following Export Exchange, the Egyptian team traveled to Kansas to learn more about the U.S. grains marketing system firsthand and to participate in specialized crop tours of the 2018 corn and sorghum harvests.
Following the Export Exchange program, the Egyptian participants reported that they purchased 42,000 tons of corn and corn co-products valued at $7 million. The Council invested approximatively $35,000 in 2018 in hosting this team, generating a return on investment of (ROI) of $200 for every $1 of MAP funds invested.
Work with Egyptian buyers continued in January 2019, as the Council expanded its promotional efforts for corn and corn co-products by organizing a U.S. Corn Harvest Quality Report rollout seminar in Egypt. During this event, a supply and demand outlook and a detailed report on the results of the corn quality report were presented to more than 85 attendees, feed millers, poultry and livestock producers and end-users from eight countries.
About The U.S. Grains Council
The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and ethanol. With full-time presence in 28 locations, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council believes exports are vital to global economic development and to U.S. agriculture’s profitability. Detailed information about the Council and its programs is online at www.grains.org.