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| Philippine Trade Team Visits Idaho |
9/14/2009
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Contact: Tereasa Waterman
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The Idaho Wheat Commission hosted a team of Philippine executives last week in North Idaho. The Philippine’s are the PNW’s second largest buyer of Soft White wheat. The U.S. market share of Philippine wheat imports for food processing has averaged 90 percent over the last two marketing years.
The trade team consisted of executives representing both the Philippine Association of Flour Millers, Inc. (PAFMIL) and the Chamber of Philippine Flour Millers (Champflour). During their visit to Idaho, team members met with representatives from the Idaho Wheat Commission (IWC) and other wheat industry representatives to become more familiar with opportunities provided by the U.S. wheat production, marketing and logistics system.
Due to climatic conditions, no wheat is grown in the Philippines. The well developed wheat foods industry in the Philippines depends entirely on imports and purchases more than 110 million bushel of wheat each year to meet domestic wheat-based food product demand. The U.S. typically supplies 85-90 percent of the food quality wheat imported by the Philippine milling industry.
The Philippine market is already a large destination for U.S. wheat exports, but the potential for additional growth still exists. Per capita consumption of wheat in the Philippines is estimated to be 24 kilograms, which is relatively low. Consumption has leveled off in recent years and is not keeping up with population growth.
In an effort to increase consumption and demand for U.S. wheat, PAFMIL, Champflour and U.S. Wheat Associates have teamed up, launching a promotional campaign to educate consumers on the nutritional benefits of eating bread and other wheat-based products, thus potentially increasing wheat demand.
During their visit to Idaho, the team met with University of Idaho wheat breeder, Robert Zemetra to obtain an update on the breeding and variety development program and trends in new technologies including biotechnology. The team toured Lewis and Clark Terminal to learn about transportation and the movement of wheat to Portland. The trip was round out by a visit to a local farm where team members were able to harvest wheat and learn about wheat production costs incurred by farmers.
The team was accompanied by Shane Townsend, Assistant Regional Director in South Asia for U.S. Wheat Associates.
U.S. Wheat Associates works to maintain and improve export market opportunities for Idaho wheat farmers and producers in 17 other states with support from the farmers themselves through a per bushel checkoff.
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