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.

 Libya has contracted to grow wheat on 250,000 acres of Ukrainian land in exchange for 600,000 barrels of crude oil. The deal is expected to help Ukraine through its energy supply problems. Last winter, Russia temporarily cut off the country’s gas supplies.

Recent fighting between the Pakistan Army and Taliban militants in the Swat Valley has left wheat and other crops in the region still awaiting harvest. A curfew imposed on the population of the area has been relaxed to allow farmers to return to harvest their grain.

Responding to the spike in high food prices last year, more countries are looking to ensure their supply in the future. The latest has South Korea acquiring 1.7 million acres to grow wheat in Sudan.

India is moving ahead to lift its two year ban on wheat exports. Upwards of 2 million metric tons is expected to be sold. It’s reported that Indian storage facilities are bursting at the seams. The country is the world’s second largest wheat producer following China.

I’m Bob Hoff. 

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.