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 Australian ports are so congested that buyers are looking elsewhere to buy their wheat. As a result of the Australian Wheat Board losing its monopoly export status, 22 different companies are now vying to move wheat at the same time, resulting in delays and plaguing deliveries. Upwards of 80 ships are waiting to load. Pakistan has scrapped its tender to purchase 250,000 tons of U.S. soft white wheat. There is now talk that Pakistan will use the credit guarantee from the United States to buy other commodities including soybean oil or even fertilizer. India will need to raise its food grain production by 40 percent to feed a population that is expected to expand to 1.3 billion by 2025. The Indian food minister said 320 million tons of food grains will be necessary to supply food needs. In 2007/2008, India produced a record 230 million tons of grain. The Ethiopian Grain Trade Enterprise said it will begin selling wheat through auctions to flour factories and food complex factories as a way of stabilizing the grain market and preventing unhealthy competition. 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.