U.S.Wheat Investment in South Asia Markets Reaps Great Rewards

U.S.Wheat Investment in South Asia Markets Reaps Great Rewards

U.S. Wheat Investment In South Asia Markets Reaps Great Rewards

I’m KayDee Gilkey with the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report.

U.S. Wheat Associates is helping millers and bakers in Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries use more of U.S. wheat to grow their businesses. Using checkoff dollars and federal funding - U.S. Wheat gives those customers information and technical training they need to meet the growing demand for wheat food.

In fact - U.S. Wheat’s South Asia Regional Vice President Mike Spier says consumers in Indonesia today eat one-third more wheat than they did in 2000.

Spier: “According to the World Bank, 7 million people a year are moving into the middle class. There is a rapid raise of people moving into the middle class. That helps us in the changing of diets wheat-based products, fast food chains. They are better off financially and they want different products. So as those economies improve, they are demanding higher quality products and their diets are changing. Rice in Southeast Asia is the main staple but wheat-based products are gaining in popularity.”

Spier says U.S. Wheat has built a trusted reputation with millers and bakers over time by helping them understand the U.S. grain marketing system and how they can get the most value. As well as conducting seminars to help the region’s bakers introduce new products using U.S. wheat.

Spier: “We are not the cheapest wheat that is out there. So we really have to show the value of our wheats and we do that through the baking performance. That is where we have the competitive advantage.”

I’m KayDee Gilkey with the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Ag Information Network.
 

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