U.S. Wheat Associates working with the Iranians

Farm and Ranch March 16, 2009 One bright spot in what has otherwise been a lackluster year for soft white wheat exports has been the return of Iran as a purchaser for the first time in decades. Drought has prompted Iran to import large quantities of wheat this marketing year with estimates of total import needs put at five to six million metric tons. Recently there was a report Iran said it would need up seven million metric tons in the next marketing year. Alan Tracy, president of U.S. Wheat Associates, the export market development arm of the private U.S. wheat industry, says they have been talking with the Iranians. Tracy: "We have been working on it and I think this last year in particular there were not a lot of other sources of supply around. That helped. But we have been in there to tend some things with the International Operative Millers in Tehran. I met with the head of the Iranian purchasing group in Tanzania in December. So I think it all helps. We are just very pleased to have them back in the market." Compared to wheat from other competitors, Tracy says U.S. soft white is probably the best in quality. Tracy: "And unfortunately I don't think that is being translated through to the millers in Iran because they don't necessarily know what they are getting. They bring in whatever they bring in and pile it on top of the silo and pull out whatever is on the bottom of the silo for their millers." Of course officially Iran denies it imports wheat from the United States. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.