12/31/08 The Wide World of Wheat from the Washington Wheat Commission

Anchor: And now from the Washington Wheat Commission comes "The wide world of wheat" grain industry headlines from around the world. Reader: Argentina exported more than 10 million metric tons of wheat last year. This year, the country's entire crop is pegged at only nine million metric tonsthe result of drought and decreased acreage. A group of Latin American and Caribbean nations have called for the creation of a regional union that would exclude the U.S. and oppose outside interference. The Latin American market has been a growth sector for Northwest soft white wheat recently which is being used in blending. Japan's third largest trading company, Sumitomo Corp., has won an export permit from Australia and immediately announced plans to boost its wheat sales in Asia. The company exported Australian wheat to Japan in January and said it will expand to other Asian markets over time. Uganda is in the market for 16,000 metric tons of U.S. hard red winter wheat, but none of it can originate from the Northwest. That's because wheat shipped to Uganda comes through Kenya and Kenya has restrictions on flag smut. As a result, suppliers must certify the wheat didn't originate from Washington, Idaho or Oregon. The Washington Wheat Commission and U.S. Wheat Associates are working with APHIS to address Kenya's phytosanitary issues. I'm Bob Hoff. Anchor: The Washington Wheat Commission wants growers and citizens alike to understand their industry has global reach. A pebble thrown anywhere in the world of grain is felt as ripples by Washington's 13,000 growers and their landlords.